Date sent: Sun, 29 Jun 1997 13:11:04 -0700 From: Ashley Secrets Will Remain Lady ~X~ PG C/R No spoilers Mulder/Scully Romance Hello everyone. This is mainly a disclaimer saying that OBVIOUSLY I did not create the X-files or any of the shows themes/characters. Fox did.... With the help of Chris Carter. This story isn't full of sex, or bad language, I'll bet it won't bother you. If you think Mulder and Scully belong together, read on! (If you don't, GET A LIFE!) ******************** California's night air covered the two FBI agents on the highway route to Los Angeles. Mulder had been driving for hours, but he wasn't about to wake his partner who comfortably slept on her side, facing the passing trees through the Taurus window. Mulder couldn't complain; Before they had started this long road trip, he had gotten a nice long chance to look over the file of their case. It was then that he discovered they would need to drive to Los Angeles. Mulder searched for another bag of sunflower seeds. Mulder thought sarcastically. Mulder contemplated that. Mulder couldn't hide his smile. This case *had* to be promising. It wasn't everyday you got to look for a killer with a so called "disappearing" act. Mulder hadn't enjoyed telling Scully of the case; having to explain of how the killer had been witnessed disappearing into air from crime scenes. The hardest thing was mentioning that all the victims had experienced abductions or been abducted. Mulder could still see the rolling eye/skeptical "whatever" look that Scully gave him, before she agreed to pursue the case. Mulder's eyes slowly wandered over to the sleeping Scully. She looked so peaceful... His gaze was interrupted by the highway sign approaching to the right. It read: Los Angeles next 14 exits. Mulder turned on the exit that lead to Del Rio Rd and began searching for the Inn. When they reached the Riverta Inn, Mulder parked and walked to the lobby without waking Scully. The manager gave him the keys to their rooms and Mulder walked back to the car. He popped open the trunk and looked at Scully once more. "Scully?" He touched her arm lightly, trying to wake her softly. "Scully we made it to LA, my skills for escaping traffic didn't get us killed as you first had anticipated." He grinned. Scully shifted but remained asleep intently. Mulder sighed and got out of the car. Soon all the bags had been carried to their adjoining rooms. He returned to the car again to see Scully quietly resting, covered by a giant mass of red curls. He couldn't help from smiling. She *was* truly beautiful. Not a pin-up, certainly not a Phoebe, but she was still completely gorgeous. Unique and different. Definitely different. Scully was his partner, his best friend, and he loved her as much as...-Mulder swallowed- ...as a sister...No. *More* than a sister. More than Samantha? He wasn't ready to contemplate that. Mulder suddenly realized he had been admiring her for minutes and took control. "Scully. We're here." Mulder lightly shook her arm. Scully cuddled deeper into the chair. Mulder thought. Mulder sighed, unbuckled Scully, and picked her slowly up out of the car. Scully woke when Mulder was carrying her to her room. When she realized what was happening, she smiled and closed her eyes again. She was enjoying this too much. Her mind shouted. Mulder turned on the room's light and placed Scully lightly on the bed. He kneeled at her side, admiring her again, and kissed her forehead softly. He walked to his adjoining room door, turned off her room's light, and walked into his room as he said: "Sleep well Dana." When Scully saw the light go out, she let out the grin she had been fighting. In the back of her mind a voice was saying: Scully pushed the voice away and snuggled into her bed. This case would be interesting. ******************** After Scully woke and showered, she changed into a casual, but conservative suit and knocked on Mulder's door. "Mulder, it's me." "Oh, hey Scully." Mulder unlocked the door and let her in as he ran a hand through his hair. Scully stared in disgust at his bright tie so he got the hint. "Ok, Scully! Ok, I'll change it." Scully grinned brightly and looked around his room which was identical to her own. Mulder popped out of his bathroom grinning and gestured to his new tie. "Better?" Scully nodded and watched Mulder sit down in front of his laptop computer. Mulder looked at Scully flashing a boyish grin. "You're not very talkative this morning." Scully smiled and sighed. "I'm still half asleep." Mulder frowned and then smiled again. "Well," said Mulder. "I wouldn't know how that feels; You know me, I *don't* sleep." Scully hid a laugh. she thought. Mulder turned to Scully again. "They serve breakfast in the lobby. Wanna go?" Scully nodded as she opened the door. "It'll give you a chance to tell me what you found out about the case." ******************** Scully sipped her coffee as Mulder explained his findings. "I learned many things." Mulder said. "One of them is that the killer's name is Peter Corte and he works at home on his PC. He has been spotted coming and going from his home many times since the murders and..." Mulder searched through papers looking for more. "I've got his address right here." "Impressive." Scully smiled. "Let's get going. I'm driving." ******************** Scully and Mulder pulled up to Peter Corte's house at about 8 am. Scully spotted a car in the garage and followed closely behind Mulder to the door. Mulder knocked twice. "FBI!" He shouted. Suddenly the door swung open and Mulder pointed his gun through the door... But no one was behind the door Mulder and Scully exchanged glances and then walked into the house. The house was pitch black, and had a strange smell. Scully wondering what it could be. It smelled of rain and darkness. Mulder got out his flashlight and lead Scully through the house. Scully heard a noise and spun around, pointing her gun into the dark. It was then that they saw him. He illuminated with a white glow, as a ghost and he was several feet off the floor. Scully and Mulder kept their guns pointed at the light, but Scully stared in disbelief. She thought. "I know who you are, agents." Peter spoke slowly, clearly. "You are those of many searching for the truth. But it is unknown to you that most often truths are hidden between two lies." The light grew stronger and Mulder aimed, ready. Peter Corte was huge, taller than Mulder. "You are those of many, who have seen the truth of the universe. As for your sister, Fox... Or for yourself, Dana." Scully hid a gasp; He *was* after abductees and abductee witnesses. The light went on: "You tell everyone of what my masters did. But soon you will be able to tell no soul. They will be proud." He laughed. Mulder was sweating like crazy now. So this was why Peter killed the abductees. He killed them so they couldn't spread the stories of what happened to them. Peter Corte's "masters" were the "things" that had ruined the lives of so many people. Including his own. Including Scully's. The thought made him even more angry. Mulder found a light switch and flipped it. Peter's glow ended and he glared at Mulder. "You are so un-important." Peter said to Mulder. "Who will believe the stories of what happened to your sister. You are 'Spooky.' Everyone will think you are lying. *Your* death will not come *this* early, Fox. You are not the lucky one I must destroy." Mulder breathed in deeply and glanced at Scully who was now clearly nervous. "Dana." Peter said. "I must kill you." Peter smirked and suddenly there was a bright flash of light. When the light ended, Peter was gone. Mulder searched around the room for any trace. He finally worked up the energy to say: "Damn." Scully stood with her gun still pointing at the wall. Her hands were shaking and she slowly tried to lower the gun. Mulder turned to her. "Scully. What was that. Explain it to me." Scully swallowed, her lips trembling. "I-.. I don't know." Scully avoided Mulder's eyes and turned to the window. "That was impossible. But still, that cannot be real. It's beyond a-" Mulder cut her off. "Scully! You're not giving me that shit." He voice softened. "You know what you saw." Scully kept turned around, still avoiding Mulder's eyes. Mulder was staring at her, his eyes full of questions. "Scully look at me." Scully bit her lip and sucked in air. Scully felt the tears roll down her cheeks. "Scully! *Look* at me." Mulder walked over to Scully, grabbed her arms, and spun her so she was looking at him. It was then that he noticed her tears. His expression softened and he embraced her tightly. Scully wiped her tears on his shirt. She thought. Scully pulled away from Mulder, wearing one of her famous Scully expressions she was so famous for. She turned to the door. "Should we search his house?" Mulder nodded, not surprised be her sudden mood change. "Yeah. You check down here, I'll go upstairs." Scully nodded and watched Mulder, gun in hand, go up the staircase. Scully breathed in deeply. Scully walked around, flipping on lights, as she searched for anything of significance. She went through drawers, searched cabinets, left nothing unturned. She opened a desk drawer and found it; A stash of weapons. "Mulder!" she shouted. "I found something!" Mulder came running down the stairs. "What did you find?" Mulder looked at Scully questioningly. Scully gestured to the pile of weapons. Mulder stared. "I take it Peter Corte wasn't a flower child." Mulder looked at the stash. "What Peter Corte did was impossible," Scully forced out. Mulder turned to her. "Not in this zip-code, Scully." "If he comes back, I'm certainly not letting him use these." Scully picked up the weapons and shoved them into a plastic bag. "Let's get the hell out of here." ******************** Mulder sat in Scully's hotel room, listening to her talk. "Mulder that was *impossible!* I can't believe I saw that." Scully threw several items into her suitcase, hysterically. Mulder stared at her packing. "What are you doing, Scully?" Mulder asked her, crossing his arms. Scully turned to him, clearly angry. "What do *think* I'm doing, Einstein?!" Scully breathed in deeply and softened her tone. "We shouldn't handle this case Mulder." "Why is that, Scully?" Mulder asked, calming himself. Scully threw him a glare. "He's using our own problems against us! Your sister! And my... my three months." Scully continued packing. Mulder sighed. "Scully if we don't pursue this case, who will?" Scully turned to him again and spoke angrily. "The police can handle it, even regular Feds. It'll be easier that way. If there is no progress, then I'll be willing to come back... And then I'll be willing to allow *you* to come back! Otherwise, NO!" Mulder nodded slowly and Scully turned to him again. "And don't you even *think* about searching for him by yourself. God forbid, I would rip out your throat." Mulder sat down. "Are you sure you want to just... Go?" Scully nodded. "As sure as I'll ever be." Scully clamped her suitcase shut and gestured to Mulder's adjoining door. "You might want to pack up." ******************** Scully pulled her suitcase out of the trunk. The drive back to Washington hadn't been pleasant. Mulder walked Scully to her apartment door. Scully searched for the keys and unlocked the door. Then she turned back to Mulder. "I'm- I'm sorry I got so angry, Mulder. That was just hard for me." Mulder nodded. "I'll see you at the office tomorrow." ******************** Scully's apartment was exactly how she left it. Of course. She smiled as she threw down her suitcase and plopped down on the couch. All she could think about was Peter Corte... And his last chilling words: "Dana, I must kill you." He couldn't though, not with every Fed in Washington looking for him. He was just a serial killer... Who disappeared in thin air... Scully sighed angrily and got up from the couch to check messages. She hit the play button on her message machine and walked off. When she passed her hall mirror, she gasped and started sucking in air. Someon- Peter Corte had came into her apartment and carved "Dana, I must kill you," into her mirror. Then her messages started playing: "I must kill you, Dana. But where do you think I am? Maybe I'm behind you." Scully spun around. "Soon your secrets will remain forever untold." Scully scrambled for the phone and hysterically dialed Mulder's cell phone. It rang twice... And then he picked up. "Mulder." Scully was screaming. "Mulder! He broke into my apartment! He's stalking me!" "Scully! Who? What?! Calm down!" Mulder shouted. "Mulder, Peter Corte broke into my apartment and carved 'Dana I must kill you' into my mirror! He left messages on my machine!" Mulder's eyes widened. "I'm on my wa-" Mulders voice stopped when he heard a "thud" in the background. Scully gasped. Her voice was a faint whisper. "Mulder he's *here*!" Scully tip-toed to her bedroom and locked the door. She fumbled through the drawer for her gun. "Mulder, my gun's gone!" Mulder sucked in air. "Scully I'm on my way, I'm sending for backup." Mulder picked up his other phone and shouted that he needed backup at Agent Scully's apartment. Then he ran out the door and sped away in his Taurus. He put the cell phone to his ear once more. "Scully? Are you ok?" He could hear her crying on the other line. "Dana, don't cry. I'm on my way." Scully sucked in air. "Mulder, I can see him through the key-hole. He has three guns. One of which is a machine gun. I can see it!" Mulder swallowed. "I'm almost there Scully." Peter Corte approached her bedroom door. "I know you're in there, Dana." Scully put her cell-phone in her pocket and crawled under her bed. Then she put the phone to her ear once more. Mulder could hear her quietly crying. "Dana, I'm almost there!" Mulder shouted. Mulder could hear Peter Corte's voice in the background shouting. "You spread the truth! But will no more!" Mulder swerved his car from hitting a semi-truck and pushed the petal to the floor, he was *so* close... He *had* to make it. Suddenly he heard a loud banging and Scully started sobbing. "Dana! What's happening?!" "He- He's breaking down the door, Mulder." She sucked in air and blew it out slowly, calming herself. "Mulder, there's no way. There's no way." "Dana, I'll get to you!" Mulder swerved the Taurus and then he saw it; The downtown traffic was immense. Bumper to bumper. "Shit." Mulder jumped out of his car and ran down the streets. It was then that he heard the door slam down. Scully stifled a cry. She let out a long sigh. "Mulder," Scully hesitated. "I- Thank you." Scully put down the phone so she didn't have to hear Mulder's shouts. Peter Corte grabbed her arm and dragged her out from under the bed. Scully screamed and fought him away. Peter Corte kicked her legs so she fell flat on the floor. Peter was only several feet away. He looked at her in disgust. "You deserve to die slwoly." He said slowly. "What happened to you *should* have remained a secret. Now I suppose it will." Mulder heard the gunshot right as her apartment building came into view. He could see the paramedics and the police! They had done *nothing!* He flashed his badge as he ran inside the building. People were tying to stop him, to no avail. "Agent Mulder! You can't go in there!" Mulder ran past everyone until he reached her apartment door; All the Feds were standing in front of it, pointing their guns. Mulder ran up to Skinner, out of breath. "Why aren't you in there!?" Mulder shoved his face into Skinner's. "We can't go in there; The first person to open that door is as good as dead. Peter Corte is armed and dangerous." Mulder slammed his fist against a wall in rage. Then he put the phone to his ear again. "Scully!?!" Dana pressed her hand against the wound. Then she heard someone yell her name. Scully crawled to the phone under the bed, when she looked behind her she began crying when she saw the trail of blood. Scully picked up the phone slowly and raised it to her ear. Her voice was a crying whisper. "Mul-" Scully coughed. "Mulder? Please be there." Mulder heaved a sigh of relief. "Scully, are you all right?!" Scully sucked in air. "N- no... He shot me. Mulder, where are you? Please don't tell me you're trying to be fashionably late." "Scully you won't believe this, but I'm right outside your apartment door. Peter Corte won't let any of the Feds in. He's armed." "Well *I* figured... that he was.... armed." Scully pressed her hand harder against her wound, she knew she couldn't make it through this one. Mulder leaned his forehead against the wall. He felt so utterly helpless. "Scully, where did he shoot you?" Scully coughed. "My.... M-.. My stomach. Mulder, it's not much longer... I can tell, Mulder." Mulder slammed his fist against the wall and yelled. "Scully I'm sorry. I'm about to do something you call stupid, but I have to." "Mulder!!! What!" Scully choked with air. "Mulder N-" Her words were cut off when Mulder hung up his phone. Mulder pushed the other Feds out of the way and pounded his fist on the door. "PETER! It's Mulder. You know who I am." Skinner's eyes widened. "Mulder what do you think you're doing!? You're dead!" "This is the only way we can save her." Mulder glared at Skinner. "Get the Feds away from the door. NOW!" Skinner gestured for the Feds to back away from the door. Mulder pounded on the door again. "Peter. I know why you want to kill her, but she's not the one you want." Mulder heard Peter through the door. "Yes she is, Fox!" "No she's not. She doesn't even know it happened to her during the three months she was gone! She can't remember! She never told *anyone!* The only reason I know, is because I *believed* *they* took her! She'd not the one you want; I am." The Feds stared in amazement. Skinner breathed in deeply and mumbled: "I hope he knows what he's doing." "Why is that, Fox?" Peter listened intently. "Because I saw my sister taken. I remember what happened. I know the truth." "Why are you telling me, Mulder?" "Because I want a deal." Mulder could hear Peter Corte's laughter. "What *deal*?" "An exchange. Her life for mine." Peter Corte smiled. Human compassion was such a pathetic, deadly thing. "I accept. You better not have any tricks up your sleeves. Open the door and put your hands in the air, enter and then close the door." Mulder did as he was told. Peter neared him and pressed the gun to Mulder's head. Peter grinned. "You will believe anything. I don't plan to let agent Scully leave. She will die here, as will you." Mulder blew out air. "I thought we had a deal." Before Peter could react, Mulder kicked him directly in the stomach, and Peter's head hit the stone fire place, nearly knocking him out. Mulder wrestled Peter the gun untill he got it, and shot Peter repeatedly. Mulder looked at the motionless body and then he heard sobs coming from the bedroom. Scully was crying. That ment she was still alive. "Mulder..." her voice was barely a whisper. Mulder ran and kicked the door open. When he saw her, he turned his head and covered his mouth. There was a trail of blood leading from one side of the room to Scully, who was curled up in a ball in the corner of the room. Mulder ran to her and hugged her tightly. Scully hugged back tightly. "Mulder, I-" Mulder silenced her with a soft kiss. Mulder looked at her wound and covered it with his hand. "Scully I'm so sorry. I could think was that I'd get here and it would be too late. Scully, I-... You're the only reason I wake up every morning. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner." "It's not your fault, Mulder. But I need you to do something for me..." "Anything." "Mulder, please don't do anything stupid if I-... If I'm not around. *Please.* Take care of yourself." Mulder swallowed hard. He picked her up in his arms and carried her through her apartment. Mulder slammed open her apartment door to find all the fed's and paramedics staring at him and Scully. Mulder broke the silence. "I need some paramedics, she's still alive." Scully's eyes fluttered open and there was a huge sigh of relief from all the surrounding feds. Scully's mother rushed through the crowd, crying. Mulder laid Scully down on the floor and stroked her hair as the paramedics worked on her. Scully's mother held her hand. Mulder turned to her. "I'm sorry Mrs. Scully, I did everything I could." Mrs. Scully whispered into Mulder's ear. "You saved my little girl, Fox. You put your life on the line for her's, I can't repay you for that." Skinner came up behind Mulder and spoke softly. "Good work, agent Mulder." Mulder closed his eyes. "Thank you, sir." A paramedic put a oxygen mask over Scully's face, but her eyes remained open. One of the paramedics walked to Mulder and Scully's mother. "I've seen many worse gunshot wounds. She's lucky; The bullet didn't hit and arteries. Personally, I think she'll be fine." Before the paramedics carried Scully to the ambulance, Mulder mouthed "I love you." Mulder could see her smile though the oxygen mask. ******************** Later, Scully woke up in a dim hospital bed. The clock read 3:06 am. Then she noticed Mulder sleeping, sitting next to her, holding her hand. Even though Scully was in a hospital bed, she couldn't remember ever feeling this healthy. She couldn't help from smiling. She remembered the kiss vividly... And his soft words. She loved this man more than anyone. There would have to be so many changes... But Dana liked changes. THE END ******************** I hope you enjoyed that. It was my first x-file story. -~X~