TITLE: Fateful Meetings

RATING: G

SUMMARY: Written for Mulder's Refuge May Challenge - "In the wrong place, at the wrong time"

DISCLAIMER: All characters featured in these fanfiction stories belong to Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. I'm just borrowing them and will return them ASAP.

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"I think we should see other people."

Translation? 'I'm dumping you'. At least, that what it means to me. Great. Just great. All this happens right when I'm ready to move to that so called 'next level' of our relationship. Apparently, I was the only one about to embark on that journey.

I turn and walk away, unwilling to listen to another word. The last thing I want to do is start bawling in the middle of the mall. I hear my name being called, but ignore it. I mean, there's only so much dignity a person can lose in one day right? Wrong. I guess the ruler of the universe has decided I haven't quite met my quota of embarrassing moments in one day.

"Jana Wilson, get back here. I'm not through with you," he calls again in a voice loud enough to wake the dead. Or in this case, a voice loud enough to get the attention of just about everyone in this store. They all stop to see what I'll do next. Even I'm surprised that I obey him.

"Terrence, you're the one who's getting rid of me," I say quietly. "You've made it perfectly clear that you are, in fact, very much through with me."

"Don't be this way, Girl. You know I love you. But there's too much of me for just one woman. There's enough of T-Daddy to go around."

Believe it or not, I've fallen for that sad line before. But this time, I just roll my eyes at that stupid nickname he calls himself. T-Daddy? Give me a break. And to think I actually thought I loved this loser.

"You don't love me, Terrence. And I can see now that you never did," I say before walking away, this time for good. Unfortunately, with my eyes blurred with tears of mortification, I can't see where I'm going. I end up running into something. Actually a someone, who mutters a curse when I almost make him spill his coffee.

"Sorry, Mister," I mutter, bending over to pick up the bags that I've dropped.

"It's no problem. From what I hear, you had other things on your mind."

I hear the smile in his voice and am grateful at his attempts to cheer me up. However, looking at him is enough to put a permanent smile on my face. This man is quite possibly, one of the most attractive men I've ever seen in my life. Sure he's old enough to be my dad, but it's hard to tell at first glance. His gorgeous hazel eyes have a boyish glint in them. And those sexy lips have me practically drooling. He's wearing a suit, but I can still see that he keeps in shape.

"You heard that, huh?" I ask, tilting my head in the direction of my now ex-boyfriend, who oddly enough, seems to be angry that I'm talking to this guy.

"I think everyone in here heard it," he laughs, a deep rich laugh that sends a chill up my spine. Forget about Terrence. This here is a real man. "I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. Sounds to me like you're better off without T-Daddy."

I can't help but laugh with him.

"I think you're right, Mister . . . "

"Mulder. Fox Mulder."

Fox? Is he kidding me? How much more perfect could a name fit a person. He must have seen the incredulous look on my face because he starts laughing again and swears to me that's his real name.

"Yes, it really is Fox. But most people just call me Mulder."

Our laughter finally starts to settle, but I can't stop smiling at him. Unfortunately, that strikes a wrong chord with Mr. T-Daddy. He can obviously sense the connection between me and Mulder and doesn't like what he sees. Before I realize it, he has stormed over to us and has jumped in between us, shoving Mulder up against the wall. This time he can't keep a hold of the coffee and the hot liquid spills all over both his hands.

"Keep your hands off my girl, old man," Terrence growls. "She's mine."

"Terrence, what are you doing?" I scream. "Let him go."

"Stay out of this, Jana."

"No, let him go. You're the one who said we should see other people," I remind him.

If this weren't so serious, I would laugh at the twin bulging of eyes from both Terrence and Mulder at that statement. Apparently, like with my relationship with Terrence, Mulder and I are in two different places.

"Listen, Kid. This young lady has expressed her desire to be away from you. I suggest you listen to her and leave her alone," Mulder says in a surprisingly calm voice. Most men his age would be afraid of being beat up by someone half their age. "And I really think you should leave me alone. You don't want to mess with me, Son."

"Oh, I don't?" Terrence lets out a chuckle before giving Mulder a threatening smirk. "You want to know what I think? I think that you aren't in a position to tell me what to do."

He pulls back his fist and goes to hit Mulder, but before he can make contact, Mulder ducks out of the way, making Terrence smash his hand into the wall. Terrence shrieks in pain and Mulder slips around behind him and pushes him up against the wall, reversing their previous positions.

"I'll warn you again, Terrence. You don't want to do this."

But Terrence doesn't hear of it. He throws his head back in an attempt to head butt, Mulder. But Mulder seems to anticipate that move as well, easily avoiding the hit.

"Stop this," Mulder yells into his ear. That finally gets through to Terrence and he calms down, prompting Mulder to release his tight grip on him. Both Mulder and I let out a sigh of relief that he's finally quit the attack.

"What did you think you were doing? You're so stupid, Terrence," I hiss, unable to keep my two cents out of this. "I can't believe I dated you. You're not even one tenth of the man that Mulder is."

Perhaps the dreamy, goo goo eyes I then turn on my hero was a bit too much for Terrence to take. It pushes him over the edge. He jumps at me, waving a sharp knife in my face and I know at that moment that I'm dead. I can actually see my fearful expression reflected on the shiny blade. That's how close it is to me. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to look at death as it approaches. The next sensation I feel is that of flying. I'm flying through the air, then falling to the floor. When I look up, I see blood everywhere and a small red-haired woman mashing Terrence's face to the ground. Then there is nothing.

After what seems like only a few minutes, I'm able to blink my eyes open, a bright light greeting them. I immediately squeeze them shut to block out the light.

"Miss? Can you hear me?"

The voice doesn't sound familiar, but it sounds concerned. So I open my eyes to look at whoever's calling me.

"Yeah," I groan, my voice a little raspy like it is when I first wake up in the morning. Come to think of it, I feel like I'm in a bed. What's going on? I must ask that question out loud, because the voice answers me.

"I was hoping you'd be able to tell me." I look up and see the woman from the coffee shop who was on Terrence when I blacked out. Then I look around and see that I'm definitely in a bed and not in the coffee shop anymore. This looks more like a hospital.

"Where am I?" This is getting scary and I think I'm starting to panic. "What happened?"

"Do you remember anything?" the woman asks, concern lacing her voice.

I look at her suspiciously, wondering who she is. She surprises me by pulling out a badge and introducing herself.

"I'm Agent Scully with the FBI. The man with you today was my partner, Agent Mulder. Can you tell me what happened to him?"

"My ex-boyfriend was coming at me with that knife. Then everything goes black. Wait. I remember Mulder and a lot of blood!" I gasp as that memory returns. "There was so much blood. Is he okay?"

"We're not sure yet," she says, her eyes suddenly getting teary. At that instant, I know that I never had a serious chance with Mulder. I can see in her eyes how much she loves him. He's more than just a work partner. But as quickly as the tears appear, she pushes them away, continuing on with what she was saying. "The knife slashed a major artery. He just got out of surgery to repair it."

"He saved my life," I whimper, unable to stop the tears. She may be able to push hers away, but I can't contain mine. "Terrence was trying to kill me."

My body is suddenly hit with a violent attack of shakes. I can't stop shivering.

"Wh-what's happening?" I stammer.

"You're going into shock. Calm down," Agent Scully says, pulling my blankets over me to keep me warm. She reaches down and presses my nurse call button, immediately bringing the woman in.

"I think we need something to help Miss Wilson calm down," she tells the nurse. The nurse leaves and then comes back, putting something into my IV that makes me feel a lot better. And a little sleepy.

"Agent Scully?" I ask in a small voice, feeling a lot like a little girl again. "Can I see Agent Mulder? Just to see if he's okay?"

She stares at me for a few moments, probably trying to see why it's so important to me. Probably trying to see if I'm any threat to her. But I know in my heart there's no need for her to worry. She must realize that too, because she nods her head and helps me into a wheelchair.

We go in the elevator to another floor and she pushes me inside a room. I gasp at all the machines I see Mulder hooked up to. Beneath all the wires, I see him on the bed, looking much paler and much smaller than when I met him.

"Are you sure he's going to be all right?" My voice is lost somewhere in the pit of my stomach.

"He has to be," she almost whispers, more to herself than to anyone. I can hear her tears start to creep back and decide she needs this time alone with him. Besides, it's too hard seeing him like that, especially knowing that it's all my fault he's in this situation.

"Listen, I'll get an orderly to help me back to my room," I tell her, moving towards to the door. But something stops me. There's something I still have to say.

"I . . . I don't know what to say except . . . I'm sorry." Like her, I'm having a hard time controlling my emotions. I can't help but burst into heaving sobs.

"Don't cry, Jana," she sniffs. "This isn't your fault. Mulder has a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This isn't an exception."

"He saved my life. If he hadn't been there . . . I don't know what Terrence would have done. I can't help but be grateful for the second chance. I wish I could thank him."

"You just did," she says with a small smile. "He may have been at the wrong place, but it was the right time for you. I'm glad that some good came out of this. Life is precious. I think that now, you'll appreciate it more. And make better decisions on who you want to spend it with. That's thanks enough."

She immediately turns back to him, taking his hand again with her own and cradling it against her cheek. It's such a tender, personal moment that I feel I'm intruding on. But she doesn't even notice me anymore, so focused is she on him. I can almost feel the love she has for him, and again I feel guilty for almost destroying that.

"I swear, Mulder," I hear her whisper to him. "This is the last time I almost lose you without you knowing how much I love you. All you have to do is wake up so that I can tell you. And I promise you I'll tell you every day for the rest of our lives."

My mouth drops open in surprise. First, because I was sure these two had been lovers for the longest time. But if I'm hearing her correctly, they've never admitted what they obviously feel for one another. That's shocking to me. But even more shocking is what happens next. He wakes up! As if he heard her pleas from his unconscious state.

I manage to catch the loving look he gives her before my guilty conscience finally forces me from the room. Some things just don't need an audience. And if she plans on keeping her promise and pledging her undying love for him . . . well, I should probably give them a little privacy for that.

I feel like skipping down the hall, leaving Mulder's room feeling much lighter than when I went in. True love will do that for you. And I can see now that what Terrence and I had was no where near it. I saw true love in that hospital room and now, I don't intend to settle for anything less. I know now that I deserve more and I refuse to waste my love or my life anymore. Agent Scully is right. Perhaps something good can come out of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The end.