From: "Claudia Sanchez" <cfsanchez@multiphone.net.co>
Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 20:15:54 -0400
Subject: walls crumbling down
Source: direct

WALLS CRUMBLING DOWN
By:  Claudia Sanchez
Rated: R

Tiny spoilers of Triangle, Detour, Beyond the sea, Postmodern 
Prometheus and Amor Fati.

Summary: With the coming back of an old boyfriend Scully and 
Mulder reached the last phase of denial, but there's struggle 
for both of them.

Disclaimer: Do I really have to? Okey, since I'm not a Chris 
Carter's clone or twin brother or his alter ego or for that 
matter not Chris Carter himself I do know that the wonderful 
Mulder and Scully do not belong to me. Is that clear for 
everyone as it is for me?. Yeah?. Great class, now we can cut 
to the chase.

Ok, this is a kind of personal statement. I think that 
beneath the monsters, the mythology arc and all the Fowleys 
and Spenders, this is a very romantic, take it literally, 
show. It deals with unconditional love, the one that takes 
over your heart not to diminish it but to empowered it. I 
think that this show is so successful all over the world 
because it gives us hope despite the mask of blackness and 
ugliness that the writers are never afraid of showing either. 
And that's what our world is about, ugliness and a pure 
bright heart that lies beneath it and keep us safe.  

'So deep so right, 
Will you take me on your back for a ride.
If I should fall, will you swallow me deep inside?
River show me how to float,
I fell like I'm sinking down.
Thought that I could get on alone 
But here in this waters my feet won't touch the ground,
I need something to turn myself around.

Letting go is so hard, the way is hurting now this stubborn 
feeling is tight,
so hard to stay with this thing,
'cause if I follow through, 
I face what I deny.

River oh river, river running deep, bring me something 
that will let me get to sleep.
In the washing off the waters, will you take it all away?
Bring me something to take this pain away'.

Extracts of lyrics from 
River by Peter Gabriel.


The air felt thick and hot.  Scully was seated in front of 
him. She had brought a chair from another office and was very 
focused on some file. A lock of her coppery hair had fallen 
off her forehead and Mulder could see her eyebrows beneath it 
frowning a little as she read. "What's the matter?", his 
voice softly broke the tense silence that surrounded them. 
She headed him instantly, her bright, wide opened blue eyes 
like a thunder amongst the poor illumination. God, those eyes 
held such a power over him, he felt a lump at his throat and 
was glad she spoke because his voice seemed to be lost 
forever. She was speaking of some theory about the next case 
Skinner had given them, but Mulder was not listening, he had 
his eyes fixed on her, lost in those deep lagoons he had in 
front, but not hearing a word she was saying. 'She is 
beautiful -He thought- I ought to tell her that...someday'. 
And then he felt a pencil hitting him cross his cheek, and 
the daydreaming was over. The blue eyed beauty he had as 
partner was giving him 'the look'. 

"Mulder, did you hear a single word I just said?". 
"Yes...- Was the instant reply, but then 'the look' was still fixed 
on him and he could not lie, not to Scully; instead he decided to
display that 
mischievous smile he knew always neutralize her anger at 
him...., well, perhaps not always, he had to give an 
apologized no. Before her eyes were to go back reading the 
damn file that kept them out of his sight he decided to talk, 
"I was recalling that guy you introduced me to this morning". 
Well, now he had her attention, and could see a nervous 
movement of her little white creamy hand as she brushed back 
the red copper hair that suddenly bothered her. "Oh, great. 
That's just you Mulder, I'm giving my theory on this case and 
your mind is else where". She fixed her beautiful eyes on the 
file again. Mulder assumed her silence as a 'drop dead 
Mulder' sentence, and started to read a sheet of paper he 
grabbed from the desk, not that he was understanding a word 
of it. He had his mind elsewhere, she was right. 

Finally, after what it seemed an eternity he brought himself 
to ask with a carefully studied not-so-concerned tone in his 
voice, "So, who is this Ethan character?". Scully didn't 
answer, she kept silence for a while as hoping he would drop 
the matter, but Mulder held his questioning eyes on her. He 
knew she was kind of nervous, and that knowledge only made 
him want that answer the more. Feeling his look over her 
Scully lifted her eyes and found Mulder's little smile like 
saying 'I'm waiting'. She gave in, "Ethan is an old friend of 
mine, ok?". "Ok", Mulder said with a shudder of his shoulder 
-as if he cared- and focused on the paper he had, but now all 
of the printed words were gone. Ok, he cared, and he didn't 
know if that was due to the shaky tone of voice he heard when 
she answered him..., or thought he heard?. Anyway, he wasn't 
going to sink into it, none of his business. But then, after 
another eternal moment he had to speak, "You sure he's just a 
friend?, 'cause he was all over you this morning". Now he 
could see her looking at him with that seriousness she 
managed to have when asked about what she didn't really want 
to talk. But he wasn't going to let her go so easily. He 
responded looking back at her without blinking, trying to 
give his look the same seriousness she had. "Well, if you 
most know, -She started giving him what he requested- I dated 
him". Now Mulder was shocked, and he had to struggle to keep 
himself together, he smiled the best he could, trying to look 
normal, normal... normal..., okey big boy, say something 
fast, "Wow Scully, I didn't know you had a boyfriend". "I 
don't. I mean not now.- She said still serious, but then 
cracked a smile lighting up the dark basement- But I had a 
normal life once, you know." Now Mulder's smile was honest 
too, and it encouraged her to continue, and she did, "I was 
going out with him back in '93, and stopped doing it shortly 
after I started to work in the x files". "Hope you didn't 
dump the poor guy because of me". What on earth made him said 
such a stupidity?, yeah, his smart ass mind that worked all 
alone, damn, too late Mulder, it's out and Scully 
is....is...is laughing?. She took it like a joke, not an on 
coming. Good. He breathed feeling much better. "No, I'd say 
the aliens, monsters, and, fluke men I had to deal with since 
the day I've came here were more appealing to me than 
yourself". "Ouch, that hurt, I wonder how am I going to sleep 
tonight when you break my heart like this", Mulder said 
maintaining the kind of light response flowing nicely between 
them. "Mulder, shut up", she answered and they both laughed a 
little, then silence fell over the room as a knife. 

Mulder was the first to continue looking at some paper he 
randomly picked from the desk. She studied now his features, 
the line of his nose, that thin upper lip and the swollen low 
one that always seemed to be puck out unconsciously, like a 
reminiscence of a childhood gesture. She couldn't continue 
staring without feeling guilty, didn't know why either, she 
was staring that's all, that wouldn't hurt their precious 
friendship, would it?. But she ended looking else where. And 
then she had to say it, "I have a date with him though, 
tonight". She said it casually as she kept her eyes on the 
file, Mulder didn't say a thing, he muttered some kind of 
"oh", but it was inaudible. The truth was, he was speechless, 
didn't know what to say. 

Suddenly the room felt too small, walls coming too near. 
He could hear the sound her well manicured hands made as 
she tossed the papers off, he could hear her breathing go faster, 
as his also did. But then again it could be his imagination, she 
is breathing normal, get a grip Mulder. 

He had to get out right away or... He glanced at 
her, she didn't seem to be aware of his thoughts, of his 
trembling hands, and if she did, she hid it well. No more 
stupid questions to ask, he knew more than he wanted to, why 
the hell did he opened his god damned mouth in the first 
place?, what you don't know won't hurt you, isn't that a wise 
old saying?, he should learn to shut up, damn!. She has a 
date, tonight, tonight, with that god damned good looking ex 
boyfriend of hers that was plainly, he saw it this morning,  
going to make moves at her. God!. He saw her cherished eyes 
running over the words imprinted on the paper, the silkiness 
of her hair highlighted by the dim pale lamp light. He 
studied every curve, the shape of her rosy lips, so 
soft...dear God, he had to get out. The creech sound that 
Mulder's chair did when he stood up abruptly brought 
immediately Scully out of the file she was reading. "Jeez 
Mulder, watch that noise, it gives me the creeps". "Want some 
soda?", he asked as he was grabbing the door knob. He 
couldn't see her right in the face, not feeling whatever he 
was feeling, damn it! The door is stuck, great, this was just 
his luck. Scully's deep voice wrapped him, and made him all 
the more nervous, "Mulder?... you all right?". "Fine, -he 
answered back trying hard to open the fucking door- just need 
to drink something". Great, it opened. He burst out into the 
hallway, she kept looking the way he went, puzzled by his 
reaction. Then he was back, all in a rush, "Do you want 
something?". She nodded "You know, something sweet", and then 
he was out. It seemed to her that he was running away from 
something. She had worked with this man for 7 years now, but 
he sure was still full of surprises.

8:34 P.M.
Scully's apartment, Georgetown.
She was going to zip up her dress, but couldn't reach, not 
from up or down the zipper placed in her back. She looked the 
clock from her night table and it was near nine, she was 
going to hate if Ethan got there before she was ready, and 
still haven't decided what to do with her hair. She curled it 
a little but now she wasn't sure if it fitted her. And that 
green silk dress, she looked in the mirror, don't know, maybe 
it was too short and too tight, and that god damn zipper, why 
a single woman had to buy a back zipped dress when she had no 
one to help her with it?. No time for self pity Dana, it's 
time to...the ring...he's here, great, and you are not ready, 
just go on making last the female 'always late' legend. As 
the ringing became insistent she walked to the door and 
opened it trying still to grab that zipper. She started to 
talk before even opening the door, "You are early". "Am I?". 

She froze, wait a minute, that's NOT Ethan's  voice, she 
looked up in surprise and there it was Mulder right at her 
door. His hazel eyes opened a bit more when he let them 
travel down over Scully's silk enfolded body. She looked 
thinner and infinitely more delicate than in those black 
suits she wore at work. And her hair, it was delicious, those 
soft curls framing the gorgeous face made her look... "Hoping 
to give someone a heart attack with that dress?. You better 
watch it Scully", he said almost roughly as he made the 
entrance to her apartment. "What the hell are you doing here 
Mulder? And don't you even dare to say it's work", she 
obviously was not in her best mood. "It's not work", he 
smiled, but her look was not a kind one, she pushed the door 
close with a kick of her pretty leg. "Calm down Scully, don't 
get nervous, it's just a date". "And I'm late", she said 
dryly. He saw her movements trying to grab the zipper, "Here, 
let me help you". "No, I think I almost got it" , she said 
still searching for the goddamned thing. Mulder watched her 
struggle and smiled, "C'mon Scully, what friends are for", he said
enjoying the look she gave him at hearing the old cliche. 

Before she could reject he was at her back reaching for the 
thing, but he wasn't pulling it up. He stared at her bare 
back, the color of creamy butter, only touched by tiny little 
freckles spread over her shoulders and her upper back. He 
couldn't help it, right at the sight of that he had to touch 
her. She wasn't wearing any bra, and the awareness of it made 
him feel his knees week, "Mulder I don't need a back 
massage", he heard her low voice said and then he realized he 
had been pressing his entire palm against her bare back. Was 
that a kind of sexy tone in her voice as she spoke to him?. 
Never mind, the zipper was up and Scully was rushing into the 
bathroom. 

He stood there feeling suddenly clumsy, he couldn't even tell 
her without a mockery, how beautiful she was. Stupid!, he was 
hitting his forehead with his hand when she appeared in the 
living room again, her curls up in a little silver pin, and 
that only showed out her long perfectly shaped neck. He saw 
her hair shinning, the sparks in her sapphire eyes, the glow 
of her skin, and, sweet mother of God, she had painted her 
lips bright red and they looked like a fruit which was asking 
to be devoured. Mulder had to look back, his hands shaking a 
bit. This was getting out of his capable hands. Grab 
something, grab something...he did, he took the t.v control, 
turned it on and threw himself down in the couch. Scully 
couldn't believe how careless he was about her. "Mulder, 
really, what on earth are you doing here?". "Think there's a 
Knicks game on tonight but my cable went down". That was 
enough, she took the control and turned the t.v off. Okey, 
now she looked mad. And just when she was going to bail him 
out Mulder spoke looking right into her eyes. "You look 
gorgeous". Well, there goes fury. She stared back feeling all 
of a sudden a warm flood spreading through her stomach. 
"What? -He continued, feeling a little embarrassed by her 
look- Can't I say a truth like this without making you feel 
uneasy?". She had to say something smart, quick, think Dana, 
you're the fastest mind of the east, think!. Nothing, her 
mind was a blank sheet of paper. 

Without thinking Mulder stood up in front of her and paced 
his forefinger over her clavicle, and then her skin was on 
fire, but her face kept neutral. "You should wear something 
on your neck, it would suit that wonderful dress". "Now 
you're the king of fashion or what?", she snapped back all 
too fast and the hurtful look that took hold of his beautiful 
eyes made her feel guilty for being such a bitch. "Sorry, you 
are right, -he said softly- I don't know, think I'm a bit 
nervous about this thing, -her eyes widened in surprise and 
he kept speaking without looking at her- I mean you having a 
date, don't ask me why...-I'm babbling, he thought as he was 
speaking, but he could not stop babbling- Perhaps I want you 
to find a nice Mr. Right and not a wise guy... -Way to go 
Mulder, you don't even know what you are trying to say to 
her, he gave a deep sigh and finished- I guess that you 
deserve to have a good time Scully, and I've come to help you 
out with it". Wasn't bad, was it Fox?, he kept thinking, no, 
but I'm the king of liars. Then he saw a new kind of smile on 
her, a kind of fear-nervous-smile which he liked right away, 
too sorry he wasn't the cause of that nervousness, God he 
hated that Ethan guy. She was gone and then back, now 
carrying a golden collar, she offered to him, "Here, help me 
with it, will you?". "Sure", Mulder took the golden jewelry 
and put it around her neck. 

She stood still in front of him like a well behaved child, 
and his fingers lingered a while as if trying to grasp the 
little locket inside the other extreme of the thing but was 
too hard, or so he pretended to seem like. Actually what he 
was doing was feeling the sweet peachy aroma that flowed from 
her hair and entire body to his nostrils. The air so full of 
her scent that he was going to get dizzy or crazy, not that 
he wasn't that last one already. His long fingers touched the 
soft skin of her upper back and collar bone, and he could 
swear he felt her shrive at his contact. Neither of them made 
a sound, they were embedded in the touch and no sound or 
question was going to ruin this closeness. 

Scully closed her eyelids, which, he noticed, were covered 
with a very light green silver shadow. Her eyelashes thick 
and defined by the mascara she put on. She also was breathing 
his scent, he smelled like sunflowers seeds and wood, he also 
smelled like rain, he...he had put both hands on her bare 
shoulders and she felt his warmth, but she didn't open her 
eyes, couldn't, didn't want to. Thought that if she did the 
spell would be broken, because breathing him in was one 
thing, but watching him while at it was a very different one. 
Mulder was her best friend, her partner, and they knew much 
better than putting what they had at risk for an arousal of 
the senses. They could get trough it, she thought, it's just 
the night, the loneliness of all these years chasing 
nightmares to shut them off. And she was tired, and knew he 
also was very tired. Mulder had his eyes wide open, drinking 
her in, literally, all of her. His hands moved slowly from 
her shoulders to her neck and above, outlining with sweet 
care her face. She didn't dare to see him, not yet, she 
didn't had the courage to confront this. 

Why Ethan hasn't come yet?, she thought in desperation, not 
knowing if she wanted him to burst in right now or never. She 
felt Mulder's fingers trace softly, very softly the shape of 
her cheeks, her nose, and then they were on her lips, a 
fingertip even dared to enter a little, just a little to 
touch slightly her front teeth. Finally she opened her eyes 
amazed, knowing that his had been on her all the time, 
waiting... When she fixed her blue look on him, Mulder 
thought he couldn't endure this much longer. Was he a 
masochist?. Why was he doing that, and for crying out loud 
why was she letting him?. Stop me Scully, or I won't be able 
to do it after we cross this imaginary line we silently draw 
since the day we met. 

"Mulder?", her delightful voice was quite and husky in the 
air filled with electricity. His fingers went down to grasp 
her fine waist, he could sense her light bones under his 
touch and all he wanted to do now was to crush her against 
him and kiss her thoroughly. He wanted to kiss her so badly 
that the desire had him in pain, he couldn't bear it any 
more, but he wasn't the type of guy who would rush..., okey, 
he was, but not with her, not with Scully. She made him feel 
boyish and tender. Scully, do you know what you do to me?. 
"What?", she questioned arching one brow as in bewilderment 
at what he just had said. Did he said it aloud?. Mulder 
didn't care anymore, he couldn't stop his head from coming 
down slowly to encounter hers. His lips parted in 
anticipation, and before he could even touch hers the door 
bell brought them out to reality fiercely, almost given both 
a heart attack. 

She slipped away very fast, as a child caught in fault. And 
he did the same, stepping back. Scully opened the door and 
there it was the hot date for the night. A six foot tall, 
blonde hair, big chest, pale blue eyed guy who was wearing a 
stunning outfit. Good lord Scully was dating Giorgio Armani!. 
Mulder caught a glance of his own tall figure on the mirror 
set in the wall in front of him and felt very self conscious. 
He brushed rapidly his brown hair with one hand, but the 
stubborn branch that usually fell over refused to leave his 
forehead. He looked at his hands nervously as he listened to 
Ethan's excuse for being late, "...get caught in a traffic 
jam...bla, bla...I reserved a table at Harry's". Wait, did he 
said Harry's? Wasn't that the most fancy restaurant in the 
city?, what he would ask in return when he had brought Scully 
back to her apartment?. Mulder, you sexist chauvinist pig, of 
course he wasn't to ask nothing she wasn't willing to 
give...Mulder closed his eyes hard, trying to erase an awful 
image of his partner kissing the sun god they had in front 
stretching his hand out to him. "Hi Fox, nice to see you 
again". Fox! This was way too much. Call him spooky if you 
will but Fox?. Scully had to suppress a laugh that was 
climbing up her throat as soon as she heard Ethan calling 
Mulder by his hatred name, and before he came out with some 
acid remark about it, she wrapped her hand in Ethan's right 
arm and said to him chuckling a little, "Call him Mulder or 
you will be in trouble". Mulder smiled the best menace smile 
he could give to a rival, he could not see Ethan as anything 
else, and then headed for the door, his shoulders down, he 
looked devastated. Scully couldn't even look at him. "See you 
at work Scully". And then she said it, and yes, accept it G-
woman, it was out without thinking, "Hey Mulder, why don't 
you come with us?". 

She could immediately see the look of those two men fixing on 
her. One a questioning not happy one, and the other, well the 
other was worth the ridicule she was doing by inviting her 
partner at what it was supposed to be her first date in ages. 
Despite the spin his heart made inside his chest, Mulder 
managed to look dubious, "Are you sure? I don't want to 
intrude or spoil your...-he was going to say date, but the 
word just refused to come out- ...dinner". Ethan had to cope 
with the fact that the romantic evening he had planned was 
going to hell, but he still had his Dana pressing his arm 
firmly, and he remembered pretty well how her hands felt all 
over him, he wasn't to give in so quickly, not without a 
fight. He looked at Mulder, and like a thunderbolt that 
stroke him right there in the middle of the living room he 
understood all right away in one second. *That man was in love with 
her*, he wanted Scully all for himself but for some unknown 
deranged reason couldn't tell her.  The eagerness covered not 
so skillfully by Mulder's dead pan face couldn't fool anyone 
in that room, well at least not Ethan. "Well, we better get 
going or they will turn down the reservation". "And we 
wouldn't want Harry to wait, would we?" ,said Mulder using a 
British accent lowly to Scully, who let out a tiny smile and 
went out first. Then Ethan went out putting his right hand on 
the small of her back, and Mulder glared at him. Being the 
one who was left behind he closed the door as he was having 
murderous thoughts. As if she needed to be helped when 
walking, he thought catching up with them at the stairs. Mulder
didn't seemed to remember that he was the one that always was 
placing his hands in that part of her anatomy. Well, screw 
it, he thought again, that part belongs to me, and smiled to 
himself recalling the thousand times when he touched her like 
that, almost unconsciously. Scully caught him silently 
smiling before entering the car and looked at him curious, "A 
penny for your thoughts", Mulder looked at her and his smile 
faded 'cause he couldn't erase the fact that was Ethan who 
stood beside her, opening the door for her. "I was 
just...nothing...", Mulder said as he opened his own door and 
stepped in trying not to think too much. 


9:45 p.m.
Harry's  
The place sure was a success, it was Friday and already
full of people, couples most of it. Mulder let his eyes 
wonder but he saw not a single trio. Always the original guy, 
wasn't he?. They headed through a wooden dance floor that 
seemed a copy of some ballroom from the 30's, this was a 
reminiscence of some weird adventure he had in a big luxury 
cruise back in time. 

As the three of them walked toward the table Mulder kept 
thinking that back in time he had the guts to kiss her, he 
felt her crashing against his chest, he felt her 
uneven breathing and then his mouth was covering hers roughly 
without a question, without hesitation...but was it a dream?. 
He couldn't tell, not after so much time, but it felt so 
right. And then in the hospital he told her he loved her, but 
he was heavily drugged and she didn't believe him or didn't 
want to, and the certainty of her rejection was one of the 
things that kept him from telling her again. 

They sat at a tiny rounded table that didn't help at keeping up the 
boundaries between them. Not that Mulder needed more walls 
coming among Scully and he, with the ones of reason and fear 
they build  over the years was enough, but he sure wanted 
earth to go open and swallow shiny Ethan. What was he 
laughing at?. 

"She is so funny, Dana always had been to me the funniest 
woman in the world", Ethan said resting his left arm over her 
chair. Mulder was at the other side of her and he watched her 
enjoying Ethan's words. Mulder frowned, she, the funniest 
woman...in the world?. This he had to enjoy also. "Oh, yes, 
-Mulder said making a false laugh come out as he spoke- Dana, 
-And her name sounded so different to her when he said it- 
...she is the queen of jokes. Why don't you tell something 
very funny so we break the ice once and for all...Dana?". She  
suddenly felt quite uncomfortable, and took her eyes away 
from Mulder's and not knowing exactly why she couldn't stand 
him looking so serious, she took Ethan's hands into hers, 
prompting him to raise. "Let's dance before we order". And 
there they went, right into the dance floor. The band was a 
Louis Armstrong kind of band, with a sweet elegant sound that 
filled the entire place and made the couples swirl and slide 
as if they were ice skating across the wooden floor. 

Now he wanted to die. Scully had made Ethan laugh again, and 
he was pulling her too close too early, didn't she needed a 
few drinks before that?. They danced well together, Mulder 
had to admit to his own disgust, he wasn't as tall as Mulder, 
and that seemed to put Scully in a not so low level. They 
were dancing and looking into each other eyes. The waiter 
brought the drinks and Mulder drank his eagerly, and before 
the second song ended he was starting to look for the waiter 
to fill it up again. Mmm, champagne was good, it was cold and 
the bubbles made him ease some of the heaviness he was 
feeling. Scully and Ethan went back to the table. "Don't 
tell me you got tired already", Mulder said trying to look 
disinterested. "Got to go to the lady's room, please Ethan 
ask the usual for me, you still remember, don't you?". The 
usual? Well Mulder, what do you know, the night is full of 
surprises. 

His eyes followed her through the crowd until he lost her. 
Then he felt Ethan's look on him and drank his champagne, or 
this was Scully's?. Never mind, it was finished too fast. 
"Waiter!", Mulder called, and his cup was refilled again. 
Great, at least the place offers a proper service, he thought 
recalling all those shity holes he and Scully had to eat in 
while at field trips. He checked his cell phone hoping..., 
yeap, it was turned on but nobody had called. Where the fuck 
is Skinner when you needed him?. Ethan's voice draw him out 
of his longing for an assignment like this at that very 
moment, "How long is it that you two have been working 
together?". "Ummm, almost seven years", Mulder answered 
drinking his fourth champagne of the night, and he already 
was feeling comfortably numb. "That's a long time for having 
a partner", Ethan said casually. Mulder's eyebrows raised 
impatiently, "What exactly do you mean?", he found himself 
asking back. "Well, -Ethan went on grinning and starting to 
drink- I've noticed how you gaze at her". Here we go again, 
what's with you people anyway?. Now Mulder was shocked. How 
many times does he have to repeat it?, "I do not gaze at 
Scully". "Yes you do. -Ethan tried to smile but Mulder's 
fierce eyes kept him from doing so- Hey man she may be blind, 
but I'm sure not. There's no need to feel ashamed, it 
happens". "What, shit?", Mulder almost snorted. "No, 
unrequitted love". 

The words felt like knives into Mulder's heart but he didn't 
make a sound. Let the dick head do the talking, he thought 
nastily, and Ethan went on very self assured,  "I'm no F.B.I 
agent and don't have the faintest idea of how you are at 
work, but you would be made out of iron if you worked with a 
woman as Dana and didn't even had a couple of dirty thoughts 
at least". "Are you drunk already?", Mulder managed to say in 
his customary satiric tone of voice when something was really 
getting on his nerves. Then she was back. "Hi, -said Scully 
sitting between them- what are you two talking about?". 
"You", said Ethan admiring the way she looked, Mulder 
completed the idea focusing on his cup of champagne, "We were 
just planning a way to save you from getting drowned at the 
toilet. What were you doing...? -Then he saw she had taken 
the silver pin away and she had her hair brushing against her 
snowy shoulders- Why did you unpinned your hair?". "It looks 
absolutely beautiful", Ethan said smiling like an idiot at 
her. Mulder kept looking deep into her eyes, which widened as 
she heard him say in a very low voice while brushing one long 
finger kind of carelessly against the flesh of her right 
shoulder, "Sure it looks. Scully, you could wear a plastic 
bag and it would look sexy on you". Just where the hell did 
that came from?. Ethan coughed and Scully looked real 
embarrassed now. Way to go Mulder. "Mulder, how many drinks 
have you had?", she demanded in that motherly tone she used 
with him sometimes. "Not as many as I wanted, but I'm fine, 
only need to move...". All that he could hear was the 
orchestra starting to play "La mer". He liked a lot the 
french version by Charles Trenet, but this orchestrated 
version was very good, the notes were all over them and he 
caught Scully's gesture as she heard the song. He knew how 
she loved that melody, what it meant to her and without 
asking he stood up, forcing himself to walk straight. 

Without saying a word Mulder took gently one of Scully's 
hands into his, and drew her into the floor. If Ethan said 
something he didn't noticed or cared. All he could noticed 
was Scully's coppery hair against his chin as he hold her 
near him. He closed tightly, but not to hoarse, her hand into 
his and it struck him how perfectly it fitted. Then he led 
her giving the first little spin at the rhythm of the music. 
She was astonished at what a good dancer he was, not that she 
didn't know.  She could remember very well a night dancing 
under Cher's voice's spell, but then again she let that 
memory fade a little 'cause she didn't want to cling unto it 
every time she felt sad. Mulder seemed to be lost in his own 
thoughts too. His fingers flying slowly up and down her 
spine, transmitting his heat across the green silk. She 
almost asked him to stop but could not, she wanted to feel 
this forever. She heard him breathe hard on top of her head, 
as if the air in the room wasn't enough to fill his lungs. He 
draw her closer, pressing slightly in the small of her back, 
and she let him. It felt so good to dance with him like this. 
Again the sunflower's smell wrapped her body and made it 
tingle with pleasure. She had her face buried between his 
neck and his shoulder, God bless high heels, thought Scully 
half smiling as he kissed her hair so tenderly she couldn't 
help but put her arms up encircling his neck. He lowered his 
head so now he could see her, and her eyes seemed so full of 
promises that for a moment he stopped breathing. "Scully...", 
Mulder's voice sounded soft and husky among the noise of 
forks against platters, people's talk and her own odd 
feelings. "Yes?", she asked feeling dizzy, but she haven't 
had a drop of alcohol yet, "The music has stopped". 

They kept holding each other but the orchestra's leading man 
was speaking at the microphone, saying they'll be back after 
a short break. "But I can sing if you want to keep dancing", 
Mulder said starting that cute smile he could give when he 
was in the mood for it. Confused Scully stepped back a 
little, only to see Ethan rising up and paying...the bill?. 
She headed for the table just when he was placing the money. 
"Ethan? What are you doing?", she asked. Mulder was catching 
at her back. "I'm leaving". "I can see that, but why? What's 
the matter?", she really sounded concerned. Scully, dear 
blind Scully, thought Ethan looking at her, and not feeling 
an inch of the fury that had gotten into him as he saw her 
and Mulder embracing each other in the dance floor like two 
mad lovers. Well he wasn't blind and he was going to get some 
sleep, for him the night was over, but for them...it could be 
a different story, but sure he was no saint either to pointed 
it out. "I really have to go Dana, sorry, forgot something I 
have to do first thing in the morning". He gave her a tender 
kiss on her lips, Mulder stared away but didn't say a thing. 
She seemed puzzled now by her friend's rush. What was with 
her that put men on the run? "Promise to call you next time I 
get here", said Ethan. "Hopefully she hasn't changed her 
number. -Spoke Mulder nonchalantly, he saw his and her look 
on him, and then smiled like a knotty little boy- It happens 
a lot to us, you know, that's the bug of being an F.B.I most 
unwanted". Scully had to say something, "I'll keep in touch, 
okey?". "Okey", answered Ethan, then he shook Mulder's hand 
and was out in a second. Mulder was sitting back now at ease, 
he even had that cocky little smile back in his face and was 
asking the waiter for more champagne. Scully made a gesture 
at the man that said plainly no. The waiter was away. Mulder 
looked at her, "What happened? The night is young Scully". 
"That's what I want to know, what is going on here? Did you 
say something nasty to him?". "Oh, come on now, high school 
is gone and far away for good. Do I really have to tell you 
why he went away?". She kept staring at him in waiting. God, 
the woman was smart as hell, he knew it, but when it came 
down to heart matters..., well, who was he kidding?, he was 
no doctor love either. Scully was standing, fury taking over 
her feelings whatever they were up to that moment. "I want to 
leave now Mulder". "What?", he muttered but was too late, the 
red head was making her way out side. There was no much of a 
choice for him.

11:56 P.M
35th Street.
Mulder sprinted out of the restaurant and was looking both 
ways, up and down the street looking for Scully, and then he 
saw her in the verge of getting into a cab. He ran to her and 
grabbed her arm. "What are you doing? I take you home". "Let 
go off me!", she almost shouted loosing the coolness that 
most the time surrounded every act of hers.  Mulder shut the 
cab's door feeling furious at her. The taxi driver pulled his 
head off the window, "Are you okey ma'am, is he bothering 
you?". "No, he is not, but thank you", she said after looking 
a very angry Mulder standing close to her. She could feel his 
body growing stout. The cab was taken by another couple and 
went away. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing 
in there Mulder?". "Why, I think the same as you, dancing and 
drinking". She started to walk up the street, he kept 
grabbing her arm, "The parking lot is on the other side of 
the road". She released her arm and calmed down the best she 
could. "Okey, take me home, but that's it". He was walking 
beside her, "Of course that's it, or what else do you have in 
mind?", he asked her with his sarcastic tone driving her mad 
now. She just threw a 'drop dead' glance at him, and Mulder 
kept his mouth shut until they got to her building.

12:28 P.M
SCULLY'S BUILDING.
The car stopped and everything felt so quite that it was 
frightening. The both of them sat in silence for a few 
minutes, she didn't feel angry anymore, just wanted to walk 
into the comfort of her home and take a nice bubble bath. 
Yeah, pretty smart G-woman, like a bubble bath is the answer 
to all your questions, and besides she couldn't leave him 
like that, didn't want to. She peaked a look at Mulder, and 
saw his hands grabbing the steering wheel. He was all
seriousness and his eyes were fixed almost angrily on the road 
ahead. "Mulder, what's the matter?", she asked with a very 
tender voice.  He didn't look at her, his hands held onto the 
wheel as if for dear life. She waited another minute but 
sensing that he didn't want to give up his fiery silence and 
the wall that surrounded him, she felt the anger back again 
but mixed with, what was that?, frustration?. No, this is 
enough. That's it, she thought, I'm getting out of here, I 
don't need this, didn't ask for it, don't want it at this 
late hour either. 

Just when Scully was going to pull the car door's open 
Mulder's hand drop over not allowing her to slip out so 
easily. "Mulder...", she started getting really annoyed by 
his behavior, but a look at him was enough to tell her he was 
feeling really bad. "Scully, we have to talk about it", he 
said and sounded so dead serious that it only made her want 
to get out the more. But she managed to get a hold of herself 
and spoke in a normal tone of voice, almost close to the one 
she used at work, almost. "And what exactly is this...it?". 
Mulder fell silent, and the silence grew wider between them 
as the thicker wall of all. He didn't know where to start, 
five, six, seven years earlier?. The moment he saw her 
entering the basement with that innocent and smart look on 
her pretty face?, how young and reckless they were? How well 
they fitted together since the first case?, no matter who was 
the skeptic and who the believer. What was he supposed to 
tell her now, after so many cases, so many discussions, so 
many people that tried to endanger and put an end to their 
partnership, hell, their friendship as well. How he will pour 
into words the way he changed because of her, how good it 
felt to walk everyday into that dark office and see 
everything brighten up only because she was with him?. He 
looked at her incapable of forming the exact words in his 
mouth. She waited, tense, trying to hold his eyes with her 
own but feeling very uneasy. Mulder's knuckles were growing 
white due to the grip he had on the steering wheel. God, how 
could he tell her, explain her that somewhere along the way 
he had fallen for her so fully and totally insane that he 
trembled only imagining a world without her. 

He looked again at his hands as he did when he was pretty 
nervous, but still said nothing. "See? -she finally managed 
to say despite the lump forming on her throat- There's 
nothing to talk about Mulder. Once you told me that we didn't 
need to communicate in words like the other agents, that I 
read you mind, and that worked for you just fine, why can't 
we keep it that way?". "'cause it is not true Scully". He 
raised his head setting his darkened eyes on her, and his right 
hand flew form the wheel and begun to stroke one lock of hair 
that flung over her left shoulder, she noticed it but was 
unable to move away, not that she had more space either. 
Mulder's voice filled the quietness of the night, "If you 
really could read my mind you would have notice...you would 
have...". He saw the fear in her eyes, the trembling of her 
lower lip, the one that seemed like a rosebud, and at the 
sight of it he lost all coherence and in a second leaned over 
her and kissed her full on the desired mouth. Her lips parted 
in surprise and his own lips suppressed what seemed like a 
beg to stop this craziness from her.

He was kissing her and felt her as soft as a dream. He 
stretched his arm over her shoulders getting her nearer him, 
crushing her against his chest. At first he thought that she 
would reject him, so he kept her cradled in his strong arms 
trying to show her the way he felt, showing her that this was 
right for both of them. But then his heart almost jumped out 
when he felt her fingers running deep into his hair, and he 
lingered his lips over her mouth and parted it with the tip 
of his tongue, he did it with a lot of care, not wanting to 
scare her away, he couldn't bear that, not after feeling her 
beneath him. "You cannot imagine for how long I have dreamt 
of this", he whispered against her wet mouth, and tears 
started to form in her eyes as his mouth abandoned her own 
and he pressed a road of soft kisses down her neck. 

She tilted her head back against the head rest, feeling, only feeling. 
She couldn't believe this was happening. She should see it 
coming, was she really that blind that she didn't see it 
coming?. No, she said to herself while Mulder's lips were 
setting down a trail of wet kisses over her shoulders. 
She saw it but preferred to deny it, why? Because they worked together, 
for the love of God!,  They were friends and partners for 7 years now!. 
Deny it was the most intelligent thing to do, and now they were being 
very dumb. 

How she could get away of his embrace he didn't know, but in 
a second Scully was out of his car and entering her building. 
Mulder thought about it for a split second and then was out 
of the car chasing her. It was kind of funny, all those past 
years at work it seemed as if she was the one chasing after 
him when he ditched her all because of his attempts at 
finding the truth and trying to protect her from his 
findings, all because of his madness that drove him out of 
focus when it came to lead a normal life. But what is 
normal?. 
He caught the door before it shut behind her. He 
could see the trim of her silk dress getting around the corner, and he 
could hear her pretty little feet working hard its way up the stairs, 
trying to get to the haven of her apartment where she would shut herself

from him. This is not happening, not this way, not now, Mulder thought
as he
stomped up the stairs chasing Scully. And as he ran, for the first time
in a long very long time, he didn't feel that he was running for his
life, 
No. This time he was running TO his life; he could not do 
anything else but meet his destiny, and he very well knew by now that
his 
destiny had a name and that was Dana Scully. 
He practically flew the stairs up and got to her floor just in time 
to catch her as she was out of breath and desperately trying to fit the 
key into the lock.
"Scully, please...", he pleaded as he went to stand beside her, looking
down 
at her, his breath also coming with an effort. 
"No, Mulder", she hit back, but her voice only a whisper,
 her hands trembling as she couldn't find the right key. 
"Damn it!", she spoke low almost crying and not looking yet at him. 
He decided it at once, those shaky little hands couldn't be wrong and 
groaning, "Scully, yes", he took her by her shoulders and turned her
toward 
him kissing her hard, plunging his tongue this time all the way inside
her 
desirable mouth that fought him back only for an instant, and then she 
clutched her hands on him as if it were possible to pull him any 
closer. 

He breathed heavily devouring her beautiful lips, parting 
them and struggling with her tongue that lost all trace of 
shame and was into his own mouth urging him to go deeper and 
deeper. 
If there is a heaven this have to be, Mulder managed to think
while his hands roamed over her, feeling the coolness of the green silk
wrinkling and exposing some more of her beloved flesh for his fingers 
to swim in.
How can he taste so good?, Scully managed to think while she was
stroking 
her tongue against his sweet one. How could I be contented with just
kissing 
his forehead all this years?. 
She almost smiled at the thought. And he felt her lips curling a little 
and drew back just a bit to see her blue eyes.
They were falling, she knew it, he knew it but neither of them couldn't 
care less. He leaned forward recapturing her lips with such force that
it 
threw her back against the door. She closed her eyes knowing that he was

doing much more than just kissing, he was marking her, saying with his
mouth, 
you belong to me, you have always, from the first moment as I've always 
belonged to you. 
A young couple giggled as they saw the picture they made there in the
hallway, 
almost making love fully clothed. Scully broke loose from his lips. 
"Wait -She said breathing with difficulty- We can't do this here...", 
Still with shaking hands she put in the key and opened the door. 
Scully got in first, walking slowly. She lit up the living room with a 
lamp that gave the ambiance a yellow color. She turned to see Mulder 
closing the door. And they stood in front of each other, 
trembling with passion, and desire and also fear. 
"Are we really going to do this?", she said with that honeyed voice 
of hers. "What exactly is this, Scully?", he asked not moving 
yet. Their eyes entangled in a sweet battle they both knew 
was lost in anticipation. "Love..." She muttered shyly and he 
could not bear it any longer, he took her in his arms and 
kissed her hard at first, but as she eased against his body 
he slowed the pace and unzipped her dress with one full 
movement. The sound of it was like a scream in the silent 
night, and his voice was silky on her ear, "If you don't want 
this to happen tell me now Scully, 'cause God knows how I've 
wanted it for years and I don't know if I'll be able to get a 
grip if you let me start". She looked at him deeply, the look 
he knew so well and loved so much. Then her hands went up to 
cradle his dear face the way he did to her outside his 
apartment after Africa. "I want you -She said low, almost 
like a secret- I love you Mulder, you are my friend, my 
touchstone, my...everything". Mulder cupped her face into his 
hands and covered it with tender kisses murmuring her name 
over and over as if it held his salvation within. She smiled as 
he slipped her off the dress and let it fall unto the floor. She 
already was divesting him of his clothes and ran her hands over his
chest. 
She admired his slender body, she always had. And when she put her mouth

over it Mulder thought he was going insane. 
He unfastened his belt and the pants went down to rest in the floor 
beside the silk dress. His need for her made him groan almost in pain. 
But before he could process what was happening she fell to her knees and
was going down on him, and he barely could hold back a moan when Scully 
put his hardness into her mouth, licking and lapping. Sweet 
mother of Jesus, now he was sure, this was heaven.
But as much as he loved what she was doing to him right now
he wanted her, he *needed* her in his arms and he inside her body, 
her heart, all of her doors open to him, that's all he craved for
these long years.
He got a grip of her shoulders and brought her back up, 
unclipped her satin bra, then pulled away the panties that matched it, 
and took a glimpse of paradise. Scully was in front of him, naked, with 
her eyes full of need for him, just as he was for her. "We 
are not going to regret it", she said, half a statement half 
a question, not letting go entirely of her fears.  Mulder 
smiled truthful to her with such tenderness that almost made her burst
into
tears.
"How can I regret something I've been wanting since the day I met you?",

he said and started to kiss her again, holding her as near as possible. 
"Liar", she told him smiling against his neck. Then he stopped and
looked 
serious at her, "Does this feel like a lie to you?. -He touched her lips

while he spoke- Scully, I'm not good at words, you know that, but I love

you more than I can say, you are my touchstone, my friend, my
partner...-he 
saw the tears that she was fighting back and smiled back ever so
tenderly 
knowing it was time to open his doors for her to come and settle in
'cause
he was home to her and she was the same to him. So he stared at her for
what 
it seemed an eternity, holding his heart out to her, offering it-
Scully, 
you are my everything". He needn't say more. She kissed him 
back eagerly, with all her heart, and the last walls finally 
fell apart. 

The end. 

Feedback? ALWAYS! If you'd be so kind.
Cfsanchez@multiphone.net.co