From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org Date: 27 May 2002 14:40:23 -0000 Subject: Of All The Things (1/4) by Cherie710 Source: direct Reply To: cher710@eudoramail.com Title: Of All The Things (1/4) Author: Cherie710 E-Mail: (cher710@eudoramail.com) Rating: PG Archive: Sure! Just tell me first. Spoilers: In this world, events take place a month after "All Things" Category: MSR, light angst, a dash of jealousy Summary: Mulder and Scully have decided to keep their relationship a secret. But things seem to take a wrong turn when Mulder's cousin comes in town and falls for Scully. Disclaimer: M&S are not mine, same thing goes for all the other characters of The X-Files mentioned in the fanfic. Please don't sue. Feedback: Good Feedback only please. Authors note: I'm still a fanfic writing newbie, so please bear with me. Also, with regards to the Daniel Waterston issue, I think I've read before in one of the boards that in one of those books about the ep, it has been said that Scully never slept with Waterston. Apparently, it was supposed to be shown at the ep, but there was no time. I'm buying that. And if the info I read was untrue, consider this an alternate universe instead. ---- "Of all the things I ever wanna do, I think I'll start and end with loving you." - Dennis Lambert (Of All The Things) ---- Friday Mulder's Apartment 6:03 P.M. "This is Fox Mulder. Leave a message after the (beep)" "Good evening, Mr. Mulder. This is Dr. Daniel Waterston. I'm a, uh, a friend of Dana Scully's, your partner at the FBI. I called to ask you. Uh, maybe, you have some free time, this weekend, perhaps. I, uh, I'd just like a word with you, Mr. Mulder, that is if you're not too busy. I, uh, well, here's my number..5550987. I'd be glad to buy you a drink. And Good Evening." Mulder stared at the answering machine. Unsure whether he would replay the message or delete it at once. He raised his right hand to his mouth and bit a fingernail. Then, he played the message again once before finally deleting it. He sat on his loyal leather couch, still biting his fingernails. Then, he took out his cellular phone from his back pocket and pressed number one. "Hey." "What happened to 'Scully!'?" Mulder asked, his voice close to a small shriek as he pronounced Scully's surname. A chuckle, then "What happened to 'It's Me.' Oh, and in answer to your question, I probably left it at my partner's apartment last night, I guess." That silenced Mulder and made Scully giggle. "These are just the benefits of Caller ID, Mulder." "Ah, I see. Hey, why did Skinner call you up to his office this morning?" "Oh, nothing serious. The usual?" "I'm not exactly aware of what the usual is with you and Skinner." Giggles. Mulder dropped the subject. "Hey, Scully, wanna come over tonight for dinner? I swear, no more butter on the popcorn. Just come over." "I don't know, Mulder. I've been coming over to your place four times this week." Nodding as if Scully could see him, Mulder breathed, "Yeah, =they= might notice, wherever the hell =they= are." The disappointment in his voice was obvious, but his tone indicated that he understood. Love is a beautiful feeling, indeed. And Mulder never thought he'd actually feel the same wondrous emotions he'd read about and learned about in the past. At this day and age, he never once dared to assume that one day, Dana Scully will expressly prove that she reciprocated his feelings. Her actions spoke a lot louder than her words. He knew she loved him just by what she did to him over the years. And a month ago, after such an eternity, he felt a live again. He was in love. Just like a teenager who's head is in a whirl over this girl he thought he could never have. He was surprised when Scully gave another girly chuckle in response, "Not exactly, Mulder. Why don't =you= come over for dinner? I'm making ref cake, your favorite. The one with crushed sunflower seeds at the crust!" "You're kidding, right?" "No, why would I be?" "I'll be there in half an hour." Click. -------- Sunday Casey's 10:47 P.M. Mulder saw a dignified looking man sitting in one of the booths alone. His gray hair and wrinkled skin told Mulder that he was indeed older..rather, old. Maybe old enough to be Scully's father. But this was no time to be harsh. Even if the man was indeed 'older', he looked quite respectable even in casual clothes. A dark blue polo shirt over black slacks. Mulder sized himself up, he wasn't bad either. His white shirt under the leather jacket clung to his abs, revealing the muscles he's very proud of. Mulder glanced around the bar to see if there were any other 'older' guys that would have been Dr. Waterston. No one seemed to pass the criteria so he approached the man. "Dr. Waterston?" He cordially asked. "Mr. Mulder?" asked the old man, back. Mulder gave the smallest and vaguest smile that it could have been interpreted as a secretive facial sign of displeasure. He sat down across the doctor. He didn't even remember to shake hands until the 'older' man extended his hand. "What do you want to drink, Mr. Mulder?" "No thank you, I just came here to talk. What is it that you want, Dr. Waterston?" "Please, Daniel." "What is it that you want, Daniel?" "I, uh, I gather you work with Dana at the FBI." Mulder scoffed, "Let's not dance around the bush, here, Daniel. I know that you know that Dana's been my partner in the FBI for seven years. I'll ask you again, and for the last time, what is it that you want?" The man breathed heavily, then took a sip from his own glass of wine, "I want to know what the nature of relationship with Dana is." "How does that become any of your business, Daniel?" The old man scratched his head, messing up a few strands of the well- combed gray hair. He coughed, then "I called Dana a few weeks ago." Mulder's brows met and asked, "And?" "And she told me that doesn't want me anymore. That she's happy. And that she's committed already." Mulder nodded, feeling all too pleased with himself. "And your problem with this is?" "She said she's committed. But she didn't say to what or to whom. In her age, Dana's commitment to her work wouldn't really make her =happy=, in the real sense of the word." Mulder pursed his lips in annoyance, "Well, that means you don't know Dana Scully at all." "Oh, I know Dana, very well, Mr. Mulder. I know for a fact that she doesn't deserve the kind of life you have brought upon her. If you really want her to be happy, you'd let her go!" "Let her go?!" Mulder's voice has raised enough to make a few sober customers to stare at them. He lowered his voice, but his anger did not waver, "You think she'll go back to you? You're.." Waterston cut him off, "Yes, she will. She'll go back to me because she knows she belongs to me....not to some psychopathic loser who drags her away from normalcy and puts her in constant danger with." Mulder just shook his head and balled his fists, biting his lip to control himself from punching Waterston right then and there. While almost gnashing his teeth off with pressure, he said to the doctor, "You think you know everything about Scully?" Waterston scoffed at Mulder's use of his partner's last name. "Of course, I know everything about *Dana*, Mr. Mulder. We shared something great and wonderful, something you'll never experience with the way things are running for the both of you." Mulder gave an irritated smile, shook his head slightly then thought to himself, = I beg to disagree, Waterston. Scully and I have shared something greater and far more beautiful, something beyond life itself, something that can never be equaled nor surprised by any man from her past. = "You're wrong, Daniel. You know *nothing* about *Scully*." Waterston opened his mouth to retort, when Mulder raised a finger to his face, eyes sharp with fury. "Scully has told you to leave her alone. And I assure you, you wouldn't want me to make that *order* clearer for you to understand." As Mulder moved to leave the booth, he said, "I don't need this. Coming here was a big mistake!" In an attempt to spite Mulder even more, Waterston said, "You're a selfish man, Mr. Mulder." Mulder span around quickly and aggressively, making Waterston sink back to his seat like a frightened boy being charged by the school bully. "No, *you* are the selfish man, here, *Waterston.* If you really love Scully, you'd sacrifice your own happiness for hers....I know I will." Mockingly, Waterston asked, "Oh you will, will you?" Mulder, was a few steps away from the booth already, heard the remark. He turned to face Waterston, and said, "Without a moment's hesitation." Waterston's face contorted in defeat, pain, surprise, and irritation. He's lost Dana. He lost her to this man. He lost her forever. ------ Monday 7:54 A.M. Fox Mulder entered their basement office with a stack of papers in one hand, a suitcase in the other, and a frown upon his face. Scully looked up from her desk, sensing his presence, then said, "Anything wrong, Mulder?" "Uh, not really." "Skinner? Case? Headache? Food Poisoning, again?....Me?" As Mulder dropped his suitcase at the table, he gazed at Scully. Then, he mouthed, "Never you." As he settled down his chair, he leaned backwards then crossed his arms in his chest. He gave Scully a smile that flashed all his teeth, making Scully raise the eyebrow. "Scully, I uh, I got a call from my....cousin," "You have a cousin, Mulder?" "Yes, Scully, I do. From my mother side. Anyway, he called me this morning. At about 5:37." "And?" "And he says he's in town for the week, he'd like to see good old Fox again before he flies off to New York." "Oh. When will he see you?" "Tonight. For dinner. 7 p.m. At some Italian Restaurant. He's picking me up, which is an excuse to see where I live, see if I'm married with kids, and basically to see who between us 'made it bigger'." "Uh-huh. What's his name?" "Jacob Whitmore. Jake. Last I heard, he was still single, has a high position in Microsoft." "Sounds like he has 'made it big.'" "Anyway, Scully, he asked if I'd be bringing a date, and.." "And you said, yes." "Yes, I told him I'd bring my *partner* at the FBI." "Good for you." "So will you save my sorry ass over dinner, or just leave me to find some horrible excuse not to go to dinner with Jake?" "You won't go if don't?" "Nope." "Fine." "Fine as in? Come on, Scully, I need a concrete, honest, and express answer here." "Fine, as in I'll be at your place by 6:30." "Oh thank you, Scully!" After which he mouthed, "Love You." Scully gave a small smile, touched her left chest then pointed two fingers at Mulder. =Me too.= ----- End. Part One. ------ "Of all the things I ever wanna do, I think I'll start and end with loving you." - Dennis Lambert (Of All The Things) ------ 6:28 P.M. Mulder's Apartment Three soft familiar knocks told Mulder that his "date" was already outside the door. Straightening his suit for the fourteenth time that hour, Mulder took one look at himself at the bathroom mirror. Then, he hurried to meet Scully. He unlocked the door, revealing a black sleeveless gown that was screaming Donna Karan. On Scully's red hair was a black headband, on her left wrist was the silver bracelet Mulder gave her on her 29th birthday, and on her right hand, she carried a sleek black handbag. Her make-up was darker, yet still not too much. They seemed natural on her face. Mulder guessed that he must have stared at her, mouth discreetly opened for quite some time that Scully had to ask, "Are you gonna let me in, Mulder?" Mulder blinked a few times, cleared his throat with a, "Yeah, yeah..come in, Scully" before gently ushering her inside the room. After closing the door behind him, Mulder walked towards Scully. "You look beautiful." "Thanks, Mulder. You're not so bad yourself. Nice suit." "Why, thank you, Agent Scully. Anyway, Jake called awhile ago, he's on his way. He's a bit early." Scully smiled and nodded in understanding. It's amazing, she thought, that after all they've been through together in their 7-year relationship, all the lines they've crossed, all the worlds they've explored, all the ships they sailed and sank, all the ups and downs, they still managed to retain the most important aspect: Friendship. And it wasn't just superficial friendship, not some pretense camaraderie. It was the real thing. They can act around each other as lovers, sweet and affectionate. Yet, at the same time, they can just be friends, formal and relaxed altogether. People have always asked the eternal question of whether a guy and a girl can just be friends. For the first years of the partnership, the answer was yes. But as time passed by, she has come to know a feeling she knew better than to deny. There was this one quote she came across as she read a few signatures in the email messages she got. And it said, "A guy and a girl can be just friends. But at one point or another, one will fall for the other. Maybe temporarily, maybe too late, or maybe..just maybe, Forever." Dana Scully knew that if she refused to accept the truth, who was she kidding? Only when she accepted the fact that she no longer saw Mulder as "just a friend" or "just a partner" did she feel free. And as she once revealed, "... the best relationships-- the ones that last-- are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with." Scully's train of thought was interrupted as she notice Mulder heading to answer the door. She heard a warm handsome voice said, "Hey, Fox. Ready to go?" Then, she heard Mulder say, "Hey, Jake! Yeah, sure! Meet you downstairs?" Next came a hesitant, "Okay, sure." Then, Mulder closed the door. He faced the beautiful face of Dana Scully accentuated with raised eyebrows. "Mulder! You barely opened the door. The only thing he saw was probably 1/8 of you!" Moving to get his coat, Mulder stopped abruptly to ask, "Hey, Scully, you forgot to bring your coat." His voice was full with concern. It was a bit cold outside. "Uh, no, actually, the coat I planned to wear.." "Yeah?" Mulder asked with slightly creased eyebrows. "I, uh, I left it in your bedroom the other night." As though not surprised, Mulder quickly moved to his bedroom. "Really, where?" Scully knew she didn't have to answer. A good 30 seconds later, Mulder had his coat =and hers= in hand. "Okay, let's go!" ----- Insie Jake Whitmore's car 6:47 P.M. Scully was seated in front, much to Mulder's disappointment. He had a glimmer of hope that Scully would sit beside him at the back while Jake played driver. "So Dana," Jake began, "how long have you been partners at the FBI?" Scully turned to face him, while Mulder stared out the window, eagerly awaiting for a cue to butt in the conversation. "Seven years. How long have you been working for Microsoft?" Scully asked back. Mulder seized the opportunity. "Yeah, Jake. You never told me you switched from teaching Computer Science to actually working for Microsoft." But, his charming cousin pretended he didn't hear Fox. "Five years," answered Jake, then he turned to Scully again. Jake was nothing like Mulder. He was younger than Mulder, but considerably older than Scully. He had this smoky eyes that just never seemed fail melting women's hearts. Mulder could only hope that the seven years he'd spent with Scully made her heart melt-proof to anybody else who gazed at her. He was also feeling a bit regretful that he persuaded Scully to watch a Yankees game one night at his apartment. Scully had a crush on Derek Jeter. And right now, with that charming look on Jake's face, he was looking a lot like Derek Jeter. Mulder bit his lip in irritation. He was thankful that it was dark already because he was sure Jake could very well see the infuriated look he had through the rearview mirror. However, his annoyance turned to curiosity when he noticed Jake reaching into his pocket, one hand on the steering wheel. He brought out what looked like a frozen dessert. Mulder and Scully asked at the same time, "What's that?" Of course, Jake, who seemed very much interested in Mulder's "date" alone, chose to ignore the cousin he's never seen in eight and a half years. "Tofutti rice dreamsicle. Sorry, but I can't help but ruin my dinner. My favorite. Besides, I brought an extra bag of appetite from Chicago." Scully, took a quick glance at Mulder through the rearview mirror. She couldn't exactly see what his face shown, but she knew that by now, Mulder was controlling himself from saying something which ranked in between "nasty" and "slightly amusing." Jake offered Scully a bit, which she politely refused. Scully licked her lips then said, "Tofutti rice dreamsicle, huh? Funny. There was once, this guy...he, uh, he told me that the air in his mouth tasted better than that." If Mulder was the one eating the frozen dessert, it would have splattered all over the window. But, Jake only chewed slower, and asked "Really? Boyfriend?" Scully responded, "Oh no!" Quickly, she added mentally, "Not at that time." She did not dare look and try to see what Mulder's reaction was. She'll deal with him later. Besides, it's not like Mulder would be offended at Scully's reply. He knew that they had to keep their relationship a secret, for now. Anyway, if Scully didn't know better, Mulder probably thought the exact same thing she did, "Not at that time." Wrinkling his forehead, Jake turned slightly to Mulder, his eyes still focused on the road. "Fox! You let guys talk like that to Dana, you should have punched that guy!? Man, don't make me feel ashamed to have you as family." Jake was smiling, and the tone of voice meant he intended the second part as a joke. But the first part was meant to challenge an answer from Mulder. "She didn't tell me about that. Besides, I'm sure Dana here =punched= that guy herself." Mulder's tone was serious, which made Scully tense. She was a bit sorry that she brought the subject up. She didn't think it would annoy Mulder, or offend him for that matter. But a few minutes and "uh-huhs" from Jake later, Scully was proven wrong. "So, Scully, was it?" Mulder suddenly asked. Jake gave him a quick look before looking at the road again. Scully turned in her seat to face Mulder. "Was it what?" She asked in confusion. "Did the air in his mouth taste better than the dreamsicle?" Scully's jaw dropped, and Jake swerved along the road slightly. Biting her lip, Scully shifted and resumed her normal position in the passenger seat. Both men remained silent, awaiting her response. Three seconds later, she said, "I can't really say if its nonfat." Ignoring the snort from Jake, she continued, "But it was definitely sweeter." Mulder and Scully smiled contentedly, as Jake busied himself thinking of an impressive way to ask Dana Scully out. Two minutes of silence later, Jake announced, "We're here." ------- Gerardelli's 7:03 P.M. As they were led to the table, Mulder and Jake rushed to assist Scully in taking her seat. But Mulder gave Jake the she's-my-date-so-back-off-dear-cousin look. All throughout dinner, Jake said nothing to catch-up on his cousin's life. He was no longer interested if Mulder was ever married, divorced, had kids, or how much he earned. He was interested in Dana Scully. Besides, she was on a safe territory. Mulder told him she was just his partner at the FBI. Dana appeared to be available. He had nothing to lose. After a few sips of wine, spoonfuls of desert, and tolerance of Mulder's exasperated looks, Jake classily wiped his mouth with the napkin then turned to Scully. "So, Dana," Jake began, "I leave for New York in a few days. I was wondering, maybe you're free for dinner, day after tomorrow?" Scully took her napkin as well and wiped her mouth, aware of Mulder's steady gaze on her. When she looked up to answer Jake, she said, "Uh, that depends. If Mulder and I gets the case our AD talked last Friday, then I'm not free for the whole week." Even if she wasn't looking, Scully could sense the relief Mulder felt. She felt it too. Sure, Jake was nice and attractive. But he was too forward and less impressive, too talkative and less intellectual, too inquisitive and less interesting, too scrutinizing and seriously lacked humility. Jake's smile slightly reminded Scully of a man from her past, a man she would never want to go back to..not even in her worst nightmares. Jake was cute and charming, but his charms didn't work on Scully. He just wasn't Mulder. "Oh, I see. Well, then, if you don't get the case, give me call, okay?" Jake asked charmingly. "Sure." Dana said politely. "Fox will give you my number." Jake added. =What makes you think I will?= Mulder thought. The next few minutes was spent with a few mock laughs from Mulder over Jake's jokes, well-mannered smiles from Scully, and too many times of Jake touching Scully's hands and shoulders. Not being able to see his cousin making amorous yet very discreet moves at Scully, Mulder suddenly stood up and announced, "Guys, I think I'm getting a headache. Must be the dessert, too sweet. But I think I really need to get home now." He was acting like a child, or rather a teenager on a desperate attempt to keep his girlfriend away from the clutches of a threatening rival. To his surprise, Jake said, "Why don't you drive my car home? Dana and I can take the cab." Scully thought Mulder was actually going to hit Jake at that moment, that she stood up quickly herself. "Uh, no, actually, Jake, it is kinda late. And we have an early meeting tomorrow. I think maybe we can call it a night already. I'd like to check on Mulder as well. He's bad with headaches." Mulder's eyes widened even more when Jake agreed whole-heartedly to Scully's proposal. In a blink of an eye, the bill was paid and in no time, they were back at the car. Mulder remained silent on the way home, as Jake hopelessly made infinite attempts to engage in a more meaningful conversation with Scully. Jake wanted her to speak more words other than, "Oh, yes" and "Uh, no." As they stepped out of the car, Jake gently grabbed Scully by the arm which made Mulder's head =really= ache. "Hey, I thought I was driving you home?" Jake asked Scully as Mulder shut the door behind him and opening Scully's door. "Uh, I want to check on Mulder first. You go ahead, I can call a cab from here." Scully got out of the car quickly before Jake could object. Mulder slammed the door shut before Jake could suggest that he come up with them. Mulder and Scully almost ran towards the building, hoping that Jake wasn't following. When they finally got inside the elevator, both of them gave big sighs of relief. "I am never having dinner with any of my male cousins again." Mulder muttered. Scully took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Did your head really hurt, Mulder?" She was smiling. Mulder returned the grin, and said, "No, but my heart did." Scully leaned in closer, but as they were about to kiss, the elevator doors opened. They walked hand in hand to Mulder's apartment, unmindful of whoever could have seen them. Scully glanced at him and said, "You know, Mulder, your cousin is kinda cute." Mulder pouted. As he opened the door with his keys, he said, "He looks like Chewbacca." Scully let out a poised snort, then said, "I was never attracted to him though." Mulder drew his eyebrows together as he led Scully to the couch. "Really? Why?" "Well, there are about a million reasons but all of them are synonymous to the phrase 'he's not Fox Mulder'." Mulder put his arm around Scully, and brought her closer, pulling her into an embrace. Scully rested her head on Mulder's chest, as Mulder rested his chin on the top of her head. "You know, Mulder," she said a few seconds later, "his smile kinda reminded me of Daniel. I know you haven't seen him.." "I have seen him," was Mulder's muffled interruption as Scully continued to speak. "But Jake smiled like him, and I don't ever want to see any of those smiles..excuse me? What did you say?" "I said, I have seen Daniel." Scully sat up, removing herself from Mulder's embrace. "When?" "Just last Sunday." Mulder looked straight into Scully's eyes. "H..How? Wha..Where? I mean, why, Mulder?" Mulder took a deep breath before saying, "He called me. He asked if we could talk. And last Sunday, I went to Casey's to meet him." Scully nodded, anticipating his next words. "What did you talk about?" She sounded nervous. "He, uh, he wanted me to let you go." Another nod from Scully. "Did he say why?" "He said you aren't truly happy with your profession, with the life you have right now, with everything." "He's wrong," was her silent yet forceful response. "I told him that. But he said I was selfish..to hold you back from true happiness." Shaking her head and obviously angry, Scully said, "My definition of happiness does not include the name Daniel Waterston. It never will." It was Mulder's turn to nod. Then, he moved to pull Scully in another hug. She was reluctant at first, but later gave in. She asked, "What did you tell him, Mulder?" "I told him that he was an egotistical, arrogant, brainless git.." "Mulder..." "Okay, I, uh, I told him that if he really loves you he'd be willing to sacrifice his own happiness for your own." Scully hugged him tighter, feeling the tears in her eyes. Then, she heard Mulder say, "I know I will. If going away will make you happy, I'll let you go." "You will?" Scully's question was more of a declarative statement rather than an interrogative one. "I'd die, but sure, I'll let you go." Scully moved to kiss his forehead, then his nose, then, just before kissing him on the lips, she said, "You'll never have to let me go. Coz even if you wanted me to go, I wouldn't." As their lips met, the phone rang. Then, the machine picked it up. "Hey, Fox. It's Jake. I forgot to ask you Dana's number. Could you call me back with it, please. ASAP. Thanks, cuz!" They pulled apart, both smiling. Mulder said, "If I disembowel him, the whole family will furious at me." "Disembowel? That's too harsh and too gross. Just go break his nose or something." ------ End. Part Two. Continued in Part Three. ------ "Of all the things I ever wanna do, I think I'll start and end with loving you." - Dennis Lambert (Of All The Things) ------ Scully's Apartment Tuesday, 7:02 P.M. The ringing of her phone woke Scully from her nap on the couch. The TV was on, the remote control has slid onto the seat from Scully's hand. Stretching, she reached for the handset. "Hello?" "Hey, it's me." "What's up, Mulder?" She yawned. "Were you asleep already?" "No, just dosed off while watching TV." "I see. Well, has Jake called you yet?" "Mulder, you do know that he does =not= know my numbers." "Just checking. He left a message at the machine, actually I was here, but I didn't want to talk about him.." "Why am I not surprised?" "..He said he'd like to see =us= again. Can you believe that? It's another excuse you to see my lovely partner. What is it with him?" "Must be genetic." Scully supplied. Mulder chuckled. "Anyway, I wanted you to know that when I came home tonight, I =accidentally= deleted all my messages without even hearing them. So if anyone asks, Scully, you're my witness." "Okay, Mulder." She intended to sound annoyed, but the sound from her voice was more in the "amused" side. "So, see you tomorrow?" "Yeah." "Okay." "`Kay." "Love you." "Love you too." "Bye." Click. ----- The X-Files Office Wednesday, 11:04 P.M. "Knock! Knock!" A voice which greatly infuriated Mulder came from the door. A second later, the man who seemed to exasperate Mulder with every smile emerged. "Hi, Dana!" Jake Whitmore went straight to greet Scully, offering his hand, and almost gesturing Scully to stand up. "Hey, Jake. This is unexpected," Scully said as he took Jake's hand and shook it, without standing up. Jake then turned to kissing her hand. If she stood up, he'd kiss her cheek, but his options were cut down. Mulder dropped the pen he was holding, leaned back to his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, Jake. You didn't tell me you'd be dropping by." Jake chose a seat on Scully's desk, made an indistinct sound which Scully couldn't decide whether it was "Tut!" or "Duh!" Seeing that Mulder was seriously awaiting a reply, Jake rolled his eyes, then said, "C'mon, Fox, I left a message at your machine last night." Mulder's face slightly lit up, seeing an opportunity to use up the excuse he'd shared with Scully over the phone last night. "I didn't get any of my messages last night. Deleted all of 'em accidentally." Jake shrugged, avoided Mulder's icy stare, then turned to look at Scully. "Oh, well! I told you I was dropping by." Mulder opened his mouth to argue that Jake's message of "Hi, Fox. I'd like to see you guys again sometime." did not automatically translate to "I'm dropping by your office tomorrow." But he clenched his fist and bit his lip, realizing that after his excuse of =accidental message deleting scenario=, his argument was senseless. The next thing Mulder heard was Jake's "You free in a few minutes, Dana? I'd be honored to take you to lunch." Mulder kept his face straight, his expression neutral. He was staring at Scully, just as Jake was. "Uh, Mulder?" Scully turned her eyes to Mulder, who immediately straightened up in his seat, thankful that Scully included him in the conversation. "Yeah?" Mulder asked. Jake's eyebrows were drawn together, confused as to why Scully had to "consult" her partner. "Do we need to go somewhere this afternoon?" Scully asked, her eyes innocent, her voice shaking a bit. "Well," Mulder began only to be interrupted by the phone rings. He raised a finger as if to say, "One sec." Jake turned to Scully at once, touching a number of items that were displayed on her desk. Nodding and smiling at Jake's remarks, Scully could barely make out what Mulder was saying over the phone. "Yeah, this is he. Who is this?" A pause. "Oh, yeah. Of course, I remember you....uh-huh? Oh? Well, I uh,....oh, okay, then....no, no, it's fine. Sure. Don't worry about it. Sure, sure. Uh-huh. Okay, then. No problem. Bye." Jake was in the middle of saying how much he admired Scully's coffee mug when Scully asked Mulder loudly, "Who was that, Mulder?" Mulder pretended not to hear Scully's question and turned his focus to Jake, who was still gazing intently at Scully. "Where was I? Oh, yeah. No, Scully," he turned to look at her for a second then back to his cousin, "we don't have to be somewhere this afternoon. You don't, but I do." In unison with Scully's irritated "what?!" was Jake's overexcited "Great!" Mulder stared at Scully, who stared back. He stood up, Jake did as well, but Scully remained seated...her gaze fixed on Mulder. Jake was rambling all about this nice cozy Chinese place he knew while Mulder walked to get his coat from the rack. Not understanding what was happening to Mulder, Scully asked "Mulder?! Where are you going?" He was already through slipping on his coat when Mulder replied, "I, uh, that was an old friend of mine....on the phone. Needs my 'expertise.' It's an emergency.." "I'm coming with you," was Scully's quick remark. "...no, no, you go have lunch with Jake here. It's not an X-File. I'll be back later." Scully moved closer to Mulder who was already on the way out. Jake was trailing behind Scully. She grabbed Mulder by the arm, "What's going on, Mulder?" She looked greatly annoyed, but her voice sounded normal. "I'll explain when I get back," was all Mulder said before gently touching the hand Scully laid on his arm. Then, he went for the elevator. Scully stared in disbelief at Mulder's form as he moved ahead. The only word running through her head as she looked out had five letters. D.I.T.C.H. ----- Lunch went alright, considering that Scully was in a bad mood. It seems that Jake was more likable when Mulder wasn't around. His presence was tolerable. He began to talk more about himself instead of asking Scully a thousand questions about herself. He also stopped taking chances at touching Scully's hand every now and then. All in all, Scully found Jake "okay." Not nice, but okay. When lunch was over, Jake insisted that he bring Scully back to the office. It was already half an hour past one when they got to the office. Scully quickly glanced around the room for any sign of Mulder but found none. Jake stayed at the door, bidding Scully goodbye. Scully was already inside the office, but was still very close to the door. "Well, thanks Dana." Jake said. "You're welcome. And thank you, for lunch, Jake." Scully smiled. Scully almost jumped when Jake touched her shoulder and moved in to kiss her on the cheek. Jake smiled another 'thanks.' Scully smiled politely in return. Scully just stood there, a bit surprised at what happened, but mostly still thinking of where Mulder was. When Jake was completely out of sight, Mulder emerged from the backroom, Scully's back facing him. "I saw that." He said as Scully jumped around to face him. "Mulder! You scared me!" Mulder only smiled. He was still wearing his coat. As he walked over to the coat rack, Scully's eyes never left him. "Where have you been?" "To the backroom, spying on you and Jake." He joked. He pouted then said, "You let him kiss you, Scully." Scully didn't smile. Instead, she repeated her question, "Where have you been, Mulder?" Mulder sighed, walked to his desk, took off his jacket then sat down. Scully did the same. "I told you, I had to go meet an old friend who needed my help." Before Scully could ask "Who" he decided to rant about the things which were safe to tell her, "I was asked to be interviewed by this kid, for his thesis. So I did. It was nothing, really Scully." "You said it was an emergency." "Thesis had to be submitted by tonight." "What's the thesis about?" Scully asked. Mulder was thankful that Scully asked questions that did not start with "Who." "It's about serial killers. He had a chapter on Monty Props." "Oh," was Scully's reply. "I didn't ditch you, Scully. It wasn't a case, it wasn't a lead, it wasn't an X-File." Scully shot him a glare, "Don't be so defensive, Mulder. And you're right, you didn't ditch me." Then almost whispering, she said, "But what I don't get is how one minute you didn't want Jake hanging around me, and the next one you're pushing me off to having lunch with him." Mulder rubbed his temples, then said, "I'm sorry about that, Scully. I, uh,...." Before he could continue, Scully raised her palm to silence him. Then, she turned on her computer. If he wanted to explain, he can explain later. Not at the office. ------ Mulder's Apartment 7:31 P.M. Mulder has been wracking his brains for a "good" explanation, by Scully- standards, for his actions. The old friend who needed his help was Janette Gibbs. She was never a steady girlfriend, but Mulder dated her once. As in one time only. She was a classmate at the Academy, but didn't pursue the FBI. The kid who needed to interview Mulder, was Janette's youngest brother. Mulder didn't know exactly why he didn't tell Scully that it was Janette who asked for his help. All he knows is that five years ago, during an FBI function, Janette came to visit some old friends. Scully was with him, that night. Mulder could actually bang his head on the steering wheel in regret for telling Scully that he had a "huge crush" on Janette that night. Scully knew about the one date, and now the huge crush. He made things worse by not telling Scully that he allowed her to go to a possibly extremely annoying lunch to go meet up with Janette and help her brother out. He just thought that if he told Scully that Janette needed his help, she wouldn't go anyway, but she'll definitely feel jealous..maybe not extremely, but at least remotely jealous that Mulder was foregoing lunch to help Janette out. After telling Scully five years ago that he had a "huge crush" on Janette, Mulder never mentioned Janette again. Therefore, there was never a "I'm over her." There was only room for the if-he-sees-her-again-he'll-get-that-huge- crush-back-doubt. Scully wasn't the insecure type, but she's only human. There are certain times when she can be insecure and jealous as any other woman could be. But still, Mulder knew it would be =a lot= better if he told Scully everything. If he told Scully that he was off to help Janette's brother and that the "huge crush" was over five minutes after seeing Scully's reaction at the revelation, then things will be easier. But no, he had to hide a certain details. How can he be so stupid to do that? What was he thinking? Oh, well, he's only human. He snapped out of his thoughts when the phone rang. Wishing it was Scully, he grabbed the handset quickly. "Mulder!" "Uh, hi, Mulder. It's me, Janette." Mulder sank back to the couch, disappointed. Scully hasn't called him yet, and the machine was picking up. When they left the office this afternoon, she told him she's having dinner with her mother. "Hey, Janette. What's up?" "Uh, I'd just like to thank you for what you did for Jason. It really helped him. It meant a lot..to me." "It's fine. Really, I'm glad I could help. There's no problem with it, Janette, you don't need to worry about it." "Oh, but, you see, I was kind of hoping I could repay you somehow...." "Really, Janette, you don't need to. It's fine." "Oh, no, what you did was great, Mulder. Kind deeds like that shouldn't go without being rewarded!" "Believe me, Janette. It's fine. No need to pay me back. Oh, I have another call. I have to go, Janete." "Oh, well, see you then, Mulder. Goodbye." "Mulder." "Hey, it's me." "Hey, how was dinner?" "Fine." "You okay?" "Yeah, yeah." "Listen, Scully, I really need to see you about soemthing...can I come over?" "Uh, now's not a good time, Mulder. I'm really tired. I just returned your phone call." "Oh," he said, feeling nervous. "Okay, then. See you tomorrow at the office." "Yeah. Bye." "Love you, Scully." "Me too. Bye," was her tired and lonely response. Click. ------- The X-Files Office 8:07 A.M. Dana Scully was late. Mulder was tensely tapping his pen on one of the folders on his table. Scully said she just was on her way, that was five minutes ago. Traffic seemed to be really bad. When the door slightly swung open, Mulder stood up hurriedly and began, "Scully! I thought..." He stopped when he saw a brunette version of Nicole Kidman at the door. "Janette?!" "Hey, Mulder. I'm sorry I didn't call...." "What are you doing here?" Mulder asked fretfully. His heart was beating a lot faster than 10 seconds before. Scully was going to enter the office any second now. "I, uh, I came to visit Kramer, Philipps, and Joan," Janette explained, those were her friends from the Academy. "Plus some of the other guys upstairs, and since I'm in the area, I thought I'd come down here to see you." Mulder stood silent, thinking of a wise and non-offensive statement to make Janette go away. Janette was only an inch apart from Mulder when she said, "Listen, Mulder, I'd really really like to thank you for that interview. Jason's scholarship depended on that thesis." Mulder tried to move backward but he was trapped between Janette and his desk. When he opened his mouth to respond, Janette suddenly moved in and kissed him on the lips. But before Mulder could push Janette off of him, he heard a loud gasp from the door. Scully stood there, watching them, mouth open in surprise. ------ End. Part Three. Continued in Part Four. ----- "Of all the things I ever wanna do, I think I'll start and end with loving you." - Dennis Lambert (Of All The Things) ------ Mulder looked at Scully with total shock, pain, regret, and remorse in his eyes. He had to grab Janette's wrist and force her hands away from cupping his face. Scully stared at him in utter disbelief. Her face was straight, but her eyes showed pain. Mulder saw in them the one thing he never wished he'd see, especially if he knew he caused it...betrayal. "Oh! Agent Scully, right? You're Mulder's partner." Janette said as she tried to reach out for Mulder, who has now moved closer to Scully. Scully moved away from Mulder, making him stop in his tracks. She clearly didn't want him around her. Quickly regaining composure, she said, "Yes. That's right. I'm sorry..to...interrupt." Her head was bowed, her hands inside the pockets of her coat were shaking slightly. Janette gave a small laugh, moved closer to Mulder again, and said, "Oh, you weren't interrupting...yet." Mulder closed his eyes, his head throbbing painfully. He just wanted Janette to leave now so he can talk to Scully. "You're Janette Gibbs, am I correct?" Scully was polite, but irritation was also in her tone. She took off her coat, and hung it on the rack, moving as far away as possible from her speechless partner. He clearly wanted to explain things, but Janette was still there. Doing so will only reveal that Mulder & Scully are indeed "together." As Mulder heard the "You're Janette Gibbs, am I correct?" statement from Scully, he wanted to collapse right then and there. Scully knew her, her full name, which meant that she still hasn't forgotten the "huge crush" comment. In fact, she might actually think it's still an issue. Janette gave a small clap, "Oh! Mulder told you about me! How nice!" Scully only smiled with difficulty at that comment, then she walked over to her desk and sat down. "Well, Janette, it was nice to meet you." "Thanks! You too." Then, Janette turned her gaze towards Mulder. He was still staring longingly at Scully, hoping she could hear his apologies through his stares alone. Scully did not look at him, not one glance nor glimpse. She turned on her computer then began typing on the keyboards. "Now, Mulder," Janette began, "I'd really like to take you out to lunch. As thanks, for what you did for Jason...and well, me." Mulder gave a weary smirk, then said, "I, uh, I don't think so, Janette. I really need to get back to work now." Noticing the seriousness of Mulder's voice, she replied, "Oh, well! I'd get going then. Bye, Mulder." Then she turned to Scully, "Bye, Agent Scully!" Scully continued typing, but raised a hand in acknowledgement. Then, Janette quickly gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Mulder blushed and moved far back from Janette that he almost knocked the coat rack off. "Call me when you're not busy," was Janette's last words. Quickly, Mulder moved to close the door behind the unwelcome visitor. He swirled around to face Scully, who appeared as though there was nothing more important in the world right now than her typing. "Scully," Mulder began, his voice a little over than a soft whisper. His heart broke when Scully raised her hand to stop him from speaking. She didn't want to talk. He wasn't going to push her. If it were about a case, he would have. But it isn't. It was about =them.= Walking over to his desk, Mulder watched Scully tuck some strands of her red hair out of her hear to cover her face. Then, she rested the side of her face on her palm, propped up by the elbow. As she pressed the enter key forcefully, Mulder saw a drop of tear trickle down her cheek. If ever their office was indeed bugged, silence after a kiss scene would have given them off. Thirty minutes after Janette left, Scully asked Mulder to hand her a certain file, her eyes not leaving the computer screen. Mulder handed her the folder, then asked, "What are you working on? Scully reached out to get the folder, her eyes still locked on the monitor. "Just the report on the Hayden case." "Oh. When's it due?" Mulder wanted to ask as many questions as he could. It seemed to be the only chance for Scully to speak with him. Although he had a strong urge to jump right inside the computer screen so Scully would be looking at his face instead of the monitor. "In two weeks." "Nearly finished?" "Far from it." "Oh." Sounds of a pencil being tapped on the table. Their conversation sounded normal. Less relaxed, but still normal. Another half an hour later, Scully excused herself to go to the bathroom. She came back seven minutes later. There was a bit of redness in her eyes, barely noticeable. But Mulder knew better....she cried. She cried about nothing. Not exactly =nothing=, Mulder thought. He made a mistake of not letting her know the =entire= truth. But the events she walked in on meant nothing to Mulder. Janette Gibbs meant nothing to Mulder. Scully, on the other hand, meant everything. As Scully walked back to her desk, Mulder began, "Are you.." "Fine," snapped Scully even before Mulder could finish his question. The next few hours was spent almost in silence. Questions of "What time's the meeting with Skinner?", "Will you do the autopsy on Banges next week?", and "How about I do the report on the Wilkins case?" from Mulder. Answers of "9 a.m. sharp," "Yes," and "If you want to," from Scully. Their exchanges had fifteen to twenty minute-intervals. When the clock stroke eleven, Mulder popped the question he wanted to ask since 9 a.m. "Feel like taking an early lunch, Scully? My treat." His tone was a bit jolly, but his eyes were sad. "Uh, no, Mulder. Actually, I'm working through lunch then taking an early off." "Oh. I can do that, too. Why don't I grab something from the cafeteria for both of us and eat lunch here. That way you don't have to leave the office." He knew that if he didn't stop, he was going to start rambling. "Oh, no. Mulder, you go off to lunch. I'm not really hungry anyway." "No, it's fine. I can...." "No, Mulder," her tone was compelling. "You go have lunch. I'll stay." With that, Mulder nodded with an "Okay, then. See you later," grabbed his coat, and hesitantly left the office. He decided to just eat at the closest place, the cafeteria. Eleven minutes later, he was back to find a Scully-less office. Quickly, he walked over to her desk only to find the computer turned off. There was a note left for him, which meant that there was still hope. "Mulder, I'm taking the day off. Already informed Skinner. See you tomorrow....Scully." She took the day off, which meant she only waited for Mulder to leave so =she= can leave. Proof Number One that she's avoiding him, or at least, talking with him. See you tomorrow. Tomorrow. Not later. Not tonight. Proof Number Two. ------- Scully's Apartment 8:05 P.M. Mulder has decided to go against the "see you tomorrow" rule. This day isn't gonna end without a reconciliation. She wasn't answering her cellular phone. It figures, she has caller ID. Her machine was picking up, and he's already left nine messages all starting with "Call me" and ending with "Love you, please, call me back." He had only one option left, go directly to Scully's apartment. He'll break down the door if he had to. He can't let this thing go on. Scully has to hear his explanation. He's not losing her over this. As he knocked on the door, he heard Scully's soft footsteps approaching. Seconds later, the door swung open revealing Scully in her pajamas, robe wrapped around her. Mulder cursed himself for what he saw. Scully's eyes were read, and she kept on sniffing. "What are you doing here, Mulder?" "Can I come in?" Seeing the resolute look on Mulder's face, Scully moved out of his way. It was his cue to enter. "Thanks," Mulder muttered as he walked over to the couch. Scully went into the kitchen, "Do you want anything?" "No thanks," Mulder replied. His heart pounded rapidly within his chest. It was entirely his fault that these things have happened, and Scully was still so accommodating and hospitable towards him. He sat uneasily at the normally comfortable couch. When Scully came back, she had a mug with her, probably hot chocolate. She seated at the opposite end of the couch. Her red eyes were downcast. Mulder didn't know where to start. Scully did nothing to spark what had happened in the office. It was purely his fault. Scully just sat there, awaiting his words. He opened his mouth slowly, thinking of the best way to start his speech, when he noticed the vase on one corner of the room. It was filled with new roses. He didn't send her flowers. She looked too upset to buy them herself. Instead of beginning his apology, he asked, "Who sent you the flowers?" A sniff, "Jake." For an instant, Mulder forgot about why he was actually there on Scully's couch and all that he remembered was how much he wanted to kick his cousin's ass. "Wha..How..." "He did a little researching of his own, since you wouldn't give him the info he wanted. He found out my address and telephone number." "Oh." He wanted to comment about how the red roses wasn't exactly Scully's type when he heard her ask, "Did I do something wrong, Mulder?" He stared at her. She wasn't crying, nor were there tears in her eyes. If she felt like breaking down, she must have done it earlier, not in front of Mulder. "Scully, you did =nothing= wrong. =Nothing.= It's my fault. I should have told you that it was Janette who asked for my help. But I swear, Scully, I swear, there was nothing going on between us. Her brother needed to interview me for his thesis, so I did, but I was wrong not to tell you about it, I don't know what I was thinking, doing that. Not telling you that it was Janette, but...." "I thought maybe I did something," Scully interrupted him, "or said something that could have forced you to..to kiss...her.." "Scully, I didn't kiss her. She kissed me. I didn't." Scully heard him, but went on nonetheless, "I thought maybe with all the things happening lately, you know, with Daniel and Jake, maybe you just felt like.." "Scully, I didn't and don't feel like doing anything but beg for your forgiveness. The Daniel issue is behind us now, and Jake is just a nuisance..but he's not a serious threat of taking away the one woman I love." "Then why? Why, Mulder? Why didn't you tell me that it was Janette?" Mulder took a deep breath. "Promise you won't laugh?" Scully glared at him, "With the look I have on my face right now, do you think it'll be easy to shift to laughing mode?" "Guess not." Then, he fixed his gaze upon Scully. "I thought you'd be...you'd be jealous, if you found out that I was helping Janette out." Seeing Scully's reaction, he continued, "It's lame, I know. I told you, I didn't know what I was thinking when I didn't tell you. There was nothing really. She just called for that favor, I went to meet her and her brother. We did the interview over lunch, and that was it. I left. I swear, there was nothing else. I don't know why she kissed me but I never wanted that to happened. I didn't tell you coz I thought you'd be upset, but I know I'm dead wrong. It was foolish, and very childish, Scully, and I am =very= sorry. I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry." Witnessing Fox Mulder babble sans the scientific and elaborate jargons was a rare occurrence. It is true. Love changes everything. He can be the oh-so-composed FBI Agent who can go on for hours enumerating the most difficult of this and that, using the most complicated words known to humankind. And yet, he can just sit and babble like a young boy desperate to have his explanation heard. Mulder needed to catch his breath. And as he did, Scully leaned back on the couch, still facing Mulder. "It hurt, Mulder. It hurt that you manage to let me know every single detail on the cases we have and then keep something like this from me just because you thought I'd 'get jealous.'" Mulder nodded, his eyes still pleading for forgiveness. Scully continued, "You can't keep things from me just because you feel it's going to hurt me. You can't. Because if you tell me only the bits and pieces of the truth, which you feel I am =capable= of accepting, then it's not the truth at all, Mulder. It remains a lie." She paused for a moment, then continued, "You don't have any way of knowing whether I'd be getting jealous or not, whether I'd be hurt or not, whether I'd be upset or not, whether I can handle something or not. No way, Mulder. So don't go jumping into conclusions..." Mulder broke his gaze on Mulder and buried his face on his hands. He screwed up. He screwed up like a teenager who's just on the beginning of budding romance. He has never been like this before, not even when he was sixteen. But now, things are very different. Maybe because it was Scully he's dealing with. She was always beautifully apart from all the others. "...like I did." That remark from Scully made Mulder look up, a tear escaping his eye. "And, I'm sorry, Mulder." Now, =that= remark made Mulder's eyes widen in shock. If there were words he really never expected to hear that night it would be the "I'm sorry" from Scully. She had nothing to be sorry for, Mulder thought. She wasn't the one who "hid" some "facts". Before Mulder could ask why, Scully went on explaining herself. "I'm sorry that I jumped into concluding that something big was going on, that there was a huge problem between us brought about by the circumstances we are faced these days. I'm sorry that I thought you were re-evaluating things because of what Daniel said. It's stupid, but I'm also sorry that I thought you wanted me to see what other life would be there for me through Jake. I'm sorry." It was Scully's turn to shed a few silent tears. Mulder moved to sit closer to her and wrap his arms around her. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, sobbing almost noiselessly. As Mulder stroke her hair gently, he chanted "I'm sorry. You don't need to be sorry, Scully. I love you." Scully whispered in between sobs, "I just thought that maybe you changed your mind about our relationship. And that scared the hell out of me, Mulder." "Sshhh, it was my actions that triggered those thoughts, I'm sorry," Mulder began, "And Scully, my mind, my heart, my soul....my whole being is fixed on this. I'm not losing you. Never." Scully disentangled herself from Mulder's embrace and faced him. Mulder wiped her tear-stricken face. "I am very sorry, Scully. I promise, you. It won't happen again." Scully stared at him, and Mulder positioned his fingers in a salute, "Indian Guide's Honor." That earned him a smile. A small one, then a bigger one. And seconds later, a kiss on the lips. A smack, then later, a tender passionate kiss that merged their souls and bonded their beings. As their kiss deepened, Scully reassured the man he loved, "You're not losing me, and I'm not losing you." They said "I love yous" between the sweetest of kisses. It's true, what they say. That there are so many things happening in our lives that sometimes they pass by so quickly, others too slow even when you want them to speed away. With Fox Mulder, time with his sister passed by so quickly. And searching for her seemed to go on slow and unprogressive. But there came along a destined soul that was bound to make him realize that with all the painful realities of life, there exists a reason to live. Dana Scully came along. And of all the things that came and gone in almost thirty eight years, one event stands alone. One event that shaped his life, one event that changed him. One event that made him complete. Loving and being loved back by Dana Scully. Being in love. And he'll never exchange this for anything else in the world. ------ End. ----- Like it? Please tell me what you think! Good feedback greatly appreciated at cher710@eudoramail.com Big Big thanks to Amy for her feedback! Thanks to Mina, Kelly, and Caroline as well.