Disclaimers:  I don't own anything even remotely related to the X-Files, so no suing.

A/N: First shot at an X-Files fic, so don't hit me upside the head if it sucks.  I was looking through a whole bunch of stories I wrote along time ago, and found it.  I wrote it about 4 years ago.  So review, even if you hate it.

One

            I awoke to the sound of pounding.  I sat up in bed with a start, my heart hammering to get out of my chest.  What's going on?  It took me a moment to realize someone was pounding on my front door.  I took a quick glance at my digital clock.  Three-fifty in the morning.

            "Who the hell," I mumbled to myself as I shuffled out of bed.

            For the past week I haven't gotten a full night's rest.  I've been too busy working on an X-Files case with my partner to sleep at all.

            "Damn it," I swore as I tripped over a carefully placed shoe.

            I made it out into the hallway without anymore foot-related casualties.

            "Hold on a minute!" I yelled, as the pounding became louder and more persistent. "Moron," I said under my breath when I reached the door.

            I swung open the door, not caring whether it was a masked murderer or not.  I vowed to hit whoever it was on the head with a bat. "What is it?!?"

            My heart gave an odd lurch when I saw who it was.

            It was a very rugged looking Fox Mulder, my F.B.I. partner.  His dark brown hair was tousled and messy, and his green eyes were glossy from lack of sleep.

            I lifted my eyebrow in annoyance, trying to cover up my racing pulse. "Mulder, what are you doing here?"

            Mulder leaned against the doorway, folding his well-muscled arms across his chest and grinned. "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought this was the Wendy's late night drive-thru.  My mistake."

            I sighed, pressing my lips together.  My heart was calming down.  I concluded it was due to my sudden surprise, nothing more.  Really, nothing more. "Mulder, I'm being serious.  Why can't you?"

            Mulder's chest heaved oddly. "My apartment building burned down."

            "You're kidding."

            Mulder's face turned serious. "I wouldn't joke about something like this, Scully."

            I sighed, knowing full well he wouldn't.  I opened the door wide. "Come in."

            Mulder stepped in and took a quick look around. "It's been a while," he said conversationally.

            I followed Mulder into the living room and watched as he sank into the couch.  I stood the furthest away from him that I could, my bedroom doorway.

            We stared at each other in silence for a moment.  I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for him to speak.

            Mulder's eyes raked over the shorts and T-shirt I was wearing as pajamas. "Sorry I woke you." He half-grinned slyly, which meant he wasn't sorry at all.

            I raised an eyebrow, not irritation but amusement, but Mulder didn't need to know that. "What happened, Mulder?"

            Mulder leaned forward and rubbed his hands over his face. "I don't know, Scully.  I was finishing up some paperwork when the fire alarm went off.  I ran out of the building thinking it was a false alarm.  When I reached the outside, the building was up in flames." He looked up at me, his eyes dark with emotion. "Everything's gone, Scully."

            My heart was leaping to get out of my chest.  I shifted on my feet.  It was all I could do to run over and fling my arms around him.  But Mulder didn't want that.  Mulder expected the serious, rational Scully, so be it I shall. "What are you going to do now?"

            Mulder sunk back into the couch. "I was wondering if I could stay here until I found my own apartment."

            I sucked in a deep, inaudible breath.  Mulder.  Here.  In my apartment.  With me.  Alone.  Could that be anymore heart breaking?  I should say no.  But he has no where else to go.

            I guess I must have stayed quiet for a while because Mulder's eyebrows were lifted quizzically.

            "Scully?"

            "Hmm?"

            "Can I stay here?"

            I shook myself out of my little daze. "What?  Oh, yeah.  Sure.  Stay as long as you like."  Forever, even, I added silently.

            Mulder was looking at me oddly, with an expression I couldn't quite place.  It made me feel strangely warm all over.  I rubbed the back of my neck uncomfortably.

            "I'll get you a blanket."  It was basically an excuse to get away from his intense gaze.  I came back into the living room carrying a heavy blanket and a soft pillow.

            Mulder got up and headed towards the bathroom.

            "There's a fresh toothbrush underneath the sink," I suggested, as I carefully set the blanket on the couch.

            How was I going to deal with this?  It was bad enough I sat less than two feet away from him everyday, now I was going to sleep about five feet away from him at night.

            My face felt flush.  Why was it so warm in here?

            "Mulder?  I'm going to open a window."

            My answer was the sound of running water.

            Oh well.  I walked to the window and lifted it up easily.  The air felt cool and soft on my skin.  I sighed as I looked down.  No one was on the street.  But what did I expect at four in the morning.

            I saw a shadow move under a street light.  No, not a shadow.  A person.  A middle-aged bald to be exact.  And he was staring right at me, smiling strangely at me.

            I pretended not to notice him, even though his appraisal was sending chills down my back, and instead looked at the stars in the sky.  I closed my eyes as another cool breeze hit my skin.

            I could feel Mulder's familiar warm touch on my right arm.  He was all around me, filling every sense in my body with his presence.

            "Beautiful," I heard Mulder murmur in a soft voice.

            I vaguely wondered if he was talking about the night sky.  I opened my eyes and turned to him.  I found him staring right at me.

            Our gazes met for a breath taking moment.  The world seemed like it stopped moving and only we existed.

            No.  Nothing will come of this, I told myself.  Forget about it.  I tore my eyes away from his and looked outside.  My eyes once again fell on the strange man on the street corner.

            He was no longer smiling.  He was glaring at us.  No, not us, at Mulder.  What was his problem?

            I moved away from the window. "It's late, Mulder.  Goodnight."

            Mulder stayed at the window, not moving. "Did you ever wish on stars, Scully?"

            I stopped, not turning around. "When I was a child.  Not anymore."

            "Why did you stop?" Mulder asked huskily.

            I thought for a moment. "My wishes stopped coming true."

            "What did you wish for, Scully?"

            If only you knew, I thought painfully. "Childish things.  I grew up."

            Mulder sighed as if he was going to add something else.  But he didn't.

            I stepped into my bedroom doorway and turned to look back.  Mulder was looking out the window wistfully.  He looked so sad and sullen.  It hurt my heart to see him like that.  He looked as if something important was lost to him forever.  I guessed he was thinking about Samantha or Melissa, both lost souls with a deep connection to him.

            I laid in bed staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours.  Mulder stayed at the window for a good twenty minutes before making his way to the couch.

            In the silence of my apartment, I could hear Mulder toss and turn.  Maybe he was having just as hard a time falling asleep as I was.  The thought brought a frown to my lips.

            I swallowed as I thought of going into the living room and snuggling up him, and chase all his fears and sorrows away.  Stop it.  Get a grip, Dana.

            Go to sleep.