Date sent:        Fri, 27 Feb 1998 16:32:50 -0500 (EST)
From:             Lenni22@aol.com

Here's the story and what follows is the title, etc. 
Disclaimer:1013 Productions & Fox own the X-Files.  Chris Carter, Gillian
Anderson, and David Duchovny own Our Heroes.  This story, however, is mine.
 If you're bothered by MSR, go away.  I'd love some feedback:
 Lenni22@aol.com.  WARNING: Mush ahead.   

Taking a Chance

 Fox Mulder pushed his chair away from his desk and sighed.  He couldn't
concentrate at all.
 Tell her, he told himself. Tell her that you love her.
 Mulder sighed.  Then he stood up, grabbed his jacket, and headed for
Scully's apartment.  When he got there, he jumped out of his car and headed
into her apartment building.  A menacing thought stopped him temporarily.  
 It's Friday night.  What if she's on a date?  What if she's  with a date?
 He shook his head.  It didn't matter.  Tonight he was going to find out
where he and Scully stood.  What if she thought he was crazy? What if she
didn't return his feelings?  Another head shake. Don't think like that!
 Mulder knocked on her door. "Scully? Scully, it's me!"
 He waited for a minute, and turned away. No one was answering. Then,
suddenly, the door opened.
 "Hi--" he started, then saw her face.  Then he saw her face.  It was red and
blotchy.  She had been crying.
 "Hey," he said, tilting her small chin up after he had stepped into her
apartment and closed the door behind him.  "You've been crying.  What's
wrong?"
 She shook her head, to imply that nothing was wrong, but a small sob
escaped.
 "Oh, Mulder," she whispered, and fell into his embrace.
 She was shaking with sobs. He stood there and held her, whispering words of
comfort.
 Finally, her sobs slowed and stopped.  He led her to the couch and sat down,
 with his arm still protectively around her.
 "What happened?" he asked again, in a concerned voice.
 Scully drew a shaky breath.  "I was in the bathroom, and I fell against the
doorway.  My nose started to bleed. I was so scared!"
 The tears were running down her cheeks, but she brushed them away.
 "I haven't had a nosebleed since--since the cancer, and I just felt a rush
of memories--ones that I had wanted to forget."
 Mulder pulled Scully closer, thinking of those awful months when she had
been sick with the cancer.  He remembered things, too.  The fear.  The
protective feeling he had, always worrying.  Trying to make every moment
count, because in the next, she could be in a hospital bed, gasping for life.
 "Then I started thinking- what if it returned?  It's only in remission!  I
always forget that.  What if-- what if the tumor comes back?"
 "Dana Scully, that is not going to happen," he said fiercely, pulling her to
him.
 Then hugged for a long time.  Then Scully pulled away slightly. 
 "I'm sorry.  I guess  I overreacted.  I didn't mean to fall apart like that.
 I mean, I um--"
 Mulder stopped her.  "Scully, you're not overreacting. Anything that worries
you, worries me. And I always want to be there for you.  Dana, I love you."
 "Thank you, Mulder. I-- What? Say that again!?!"
 " Dana Katherine Scully, I have loved you for a long, long time.  I love
being with you, and I miss you a lot when you're gone. There is not one thing
about you that I don't love."
 "Oh, Mulder," she said. "I love you,too."
 That was all he needed to hear.  He kissed her, hesitantly at first, then
more deeply as she returned his kiss.  And his love.
 Mulder sighed with happiness.


TITLE:  Taking a Chance
AUTHOR:  Lenni
RATING: PG
CLASSIFICATION: VR
SPOILERS: Redux II
KEYWORDS: MSR
SUMMARY:  Scully has a scare and Mulder contemplates telling her his true
feelings.