On the Other Side of the Door
Like many fans, I loved the bed scene in Plus One, but thought their actual conversation was confusing and inconsistent with where the characters actually are in their lives. So, I rewrote it.
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Mulder awoke with a sharp inhale, sitting up in bed quickly. Something had startled him awake, but he didn't know what. A scream? A crash?
He slowly swung his legs off of the sofa bed, walked to the bedroom door, and opened it a crack to see inside when he heard it again.
"No…no…"
Scully had a pained expression, and her breath was hitching as she tossed in her sleep. He walked around to the side of the bed and sat down next to her, lightly holding her arm.
"Scully. Scully, wake up."
Her eyes flew open and she visibly recoiled from Mulder. After a few moments, her eyes adjusted and she looked downward, slightly embarrassed.
"Another nightmare?" he asked, still holding her arm.
She nodded.
"Pfaster? Tooms? Duane Barry?"
She swallowed, trying to return her breath to normal. "Gerry Schnauz."
"Oh, God, I had forgotten about him."
"I didn't." Scully sat up slightly, rubbing her eyes. "I don't know, something about this case got under my skin. Sometimes, when that happens, it just brings things back, and one of the monsters from the past creeps back into my head."
"I thought you didn't believe in evil?"
"I don't believe in evil forces, or inherent human evil…but we've encountered plenty of men who were made into monsters." She paused. "A few women, too."
Mulder nodded. "Are you okay?"
Scully turned to him, looking him straight in the eye. "Can you hold me?"
"Sure. I can do that." Mulder pulled up the blankets and slid in next to Scully, his arm wrapping around her.
They lay in silence for a few minutes until Scully finally broke the silence.
"I forgot how much I loved this job, but I also forgot how much it affects me sometime."
"I know what you mean."
"Mulder, sometimes I feel like the world is going to hell, and we're the only two people who can save it."
"The world is going to hell, but you can't put that all on us."
The corners of Scully's mouth turned up slightly. "I suppose that is a lot of pressure, isn't it?"
"I mean, you've already saved so many people…as a doctor, as an FBI agent…you're a force for good, Scully."
Scully turned slightly toward Mulder, craning her neck toward him until she met his eye. "And what does that make you?"
"I don't know," he chuckled. "A force for chaos? I seem to remember you saying something about 'getting out of the eye of the storm' when you left."
Her eyes turned serious, tinged with pain. "That's not fair, Mulder. I tried so hard to – you were spiraling, and I couldn't watch you – "
"I know, Scully." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, I was in a bad place, and it had nothing to do with you. I was feeling…useless."
The two lay in silence for a moment, facing the ceiling, until Scully broke the silence once again.
"I shouldn't have left. I mean, I think it was the right thing at the time, but…I don't know. I should have come back."
"You did."
Scully turned to him with a half-smile. "Yeah, but it took me too long. I missed you, Mulder."
"I missed you too."
"Did you…" Scully trailed off, her eyes darting around awkwardly, her lips pursed.
"Did I what?"
"Did you date anyone?"
Mulder let out a quick, breathless laugh. "No!"
Scully's brow furrowed. "Mulder, it was a year and a half. It's not like it's out of the question."
"Other women bore me, Scully. Wait, did you date anyone?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Sort of."
Mulder put his chin on his hands and batted his eyes. "Oh, Agent Scully, do tell. Did you use Tinder?"
She chuckled. "Nooooo. I went on one date with another doctor from the hospital, and it was…I don't know. He asked me if I had any siblings, you know?"
"Yeah. That's always my least favorite date question."
"I just feel too old to date," she sighed. "Everyone's into craft beer and has a podcast."
"You know, The Lone Gunmen had one of the first podcasts. It was called 'The Magic Bullet' and it was a companion to their publication."
Scully smiled wistfully, but didn't respond.
Mulder rested his head on one hand, looking Scully in the eyes. "You're not too old, Scully. It's just that most men are…idiots. Present company definitely included."
Scully met his gaze. "You're not an idiot. You're probably the most brilliant person I've ever met."
"I also didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 40s."
"Mulder, I'm being serious. That's not why I left. You're the most important person in my life, and you were stuck in a place that I couldn't bring you out of, and it was killing me." Her voice caught in her throat and the edges of her eyes glistened.
"I know. And I got help. It took me too long, but I did."
"I'm glad." She brushed away a tear from the corner of her eye with her finger.
"You're the most important person in my life too, Scully."
She exhaled a long, ragged breath and laid her head down on his shoulder. "I felt a lot of guilt, like I gave up on you."
"I had given up on myself." He stroked her hair gently. "Really, Scully, you did nothing wrong. I'm doing better. I'm on meds, I'm exercising…"
"I noticed," she stated, her voice slightly lower than usual.
"Oh, did you?"
She lifted her head and raised an eyebrow again.
He pulled the blanket higher, covering his chest. "I do not appreciate being objectified, and I would thank you to stop undressing me with your eyes."
Scully laughed. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
A wide smile spread across Mulder's face. "I missed that the most. You make Dana Scully laugh, you feel like a million bucks."
She pushed some hair out of her face. "Well, that is one of your talents, Mulder."
"Oh? 'One of?'"
"I seem to recall there being others."
"You don't say."
"I mean, I couldn't say with certainty."
"Well, Scully, we may have to do something to jog your memory."
"I'm sure we'll think of something."
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