Title: The Dawning of New Years
Author: Skylarcat
Classification: MSR, short fic
Rating: PG
Feedback: Yes, please.
Summary: New Years Eve offers the agents a chance at love
Note: Scully and Mulder are characters that belong to Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting, and Ten-Thirteen Productions. Yes, I have used them without permission. However, no copyright infringement is intended.
It came every year. Like a promise, unbroken and determined. It was fate offering a second chance, an opportunity to erase the slate and start over. There in the depths of every corner, in the deepest of folds existed the slightest ounce of hope that inspired a chance for the sinner to seek redemption, the liar to taste truth, and the lost to reach salvation. However, those chances had long ago passed for Mulder. New Years Eve now only offered a memory of what was, a longing for what could have been, and a despondency for all that is now gone.
The ground appeared bare except for Mulder's footprints along the snow-dusted ground that led to the lake and for a moment he felt upset for disturbing the winter wonderland scene. But that quickly faded when the cold winter breeze grabbed at Mulder's face. He swiftly pulled his hood up closer, wrapping it more tightly around him for warmth. Then silently cursed himself for being out there in the first place. It was meaningless and wouldn't bring her back to him, but he was hoping to find some sort of comfort at least in remembering.
He gently brought a sunflower seed up to his lips, softly sucking at the salt taste that it offered before dropping the remaining shell into the lake. His eyes briefly were captivated by the water's consuming of the shell, breaking its spirit before finally pulling it under within its vastness.
The snow had begun to lightly fall again, dispersion white droplets among the lake. The world appeared perfect, peaceful, a scene that reminded Mulder of a snow globe he had owned as a child. In the process of moving several years ago, Mulder had knocked it off a dresser spilling its contents and heart across his floor. He realized then that nothing was perfect. But this place held special meaning. It was where one journey came to a rest and another one came to life. It was only right that he returned here, a sort of tribute to the place that had breathed existence within his dreams and then just as quickly as it had given them life, suffocated the meaning out of them.
She was gone. He had lost her somewhere along the way. And he missed her. God, how he missed her. Seven years had gone by with a blink of an eye and he never did thank her. She was his chance at redemption, his chance at truth, and ultimately his chance at salvation. When she was with him, Mulder was the man he always wanted to be. He was whole. He was unbreakable. He was alive. She deserved so much more and yet she was content by his side. Seven years passed and where did they all go?
Though their journey started out with skepticism and suspicion, it soon evolved into something meaningful and valued. Vulnerability, to her was a symbol of weakness and one she rarely ever expressed. It soon had become a challenge to their partnership; however, in the end she had learned that it was ok to let her walls down and to allow herself to need someone. She then accepted Mulder completely in her life and in return he did the same. At the beginning, she was viewed as a threat. She was not to be trusted. However, she soon transformed into the only person Mulder could ever trust. The days where he went in search of the truth's path alone had long expired. She now shared the search that once was his quest and along the journey if she ever stumbled he would offer his hand so they could continue the rest of the journey side by side. He didn't want to face anything in the world without her.
And yet here he was doing just that. It had been six months, eleven days, five hours, and fifteen minutes since she turned in her resignation, packed up her belongings, and shut him at of her life without even a word. It was with that in mind that he returned to the lake in hope that the memory would bring her back to him. It was his faith in believing that led him to this homecoming of sort and ignited the hope that she would come. However, there arrives a time where faith dies and believing just isn't enough. What was it that brought them to this point?
It was a case that had first brought them here. A mysterious illness that had developed in several of the town's children and the culprit behind it was believed to be the local water supply. However, the real culprit was more sinister than Mother Nature. The children were being poison, not by water, but by man. It was pure evil of the unthinkable kind.
It had been a rigorous case and one in which Mulder was determined to solve. She had asked him why this case was so important and he answered only half seriously. "I just want to know what it feels like to be someone's hero." She smiled at his words and it melted his heart. What he would do just to see her smile again.
They had just started their drive back home when he first had heard the screams. They came from a young girl who had fallen within the cold lake and her cries caused the gathering of several people, who appeared to be unable to reach her. However, Mulder being an excellent swimmer jumped right in and soon pulled the girl out to safety meeting the cheers of several on-lookers. He turned to be greeted by his partner wearing the smile that always melted his heart.
"Looks like you finally got your hero's welcome, Mulder."
To which he replied, "I only ever wanted to be your hero."
Her answer, "You are always my hero. Never doubt that."
He then had kissed her, forgetting about the crowd that was forming, forgetting about the rules against partners getting romantically involved. They had made love that night for the first time, gentle and sweet. He had awoken the next day to find she had gone. They both settled back into the same routine never speaking of that night again until the day he discovered her plan to resign from the FBI. He had told her that she was just running away and in the end she did just that.
It was getting late and the cold was becoming unbearable. It was time to go. His faith was diminishing by the second and his believing in her return only being in vain. He threw the last sunflower seed into the water and turned to leave and for a moment he thought he saw a flash of red. Damn, she was so embedded within his existence that he saw her everywhere. Life was unfair. He started the journey back to his car solemnly, but was stopped at the touch of a small hand on his left arm.
And for a moment he was afraid he was dreaming. However, her piecing blue eyes made all too clear that this was reality. She was really standing before him.
"Mulder, I'm...sorry..."
He silenced her with the touch of his fingers over her lips. She was there and all was forgiven. It took Mulder only a second to rediscover his courage and his lips finally found her in a deep longing kiss. Her lips parted slightly offering Mulder's tongue within its confinements. She tasted of sweet honey and he savored the moment as though it was the first time his lips ever felt the essence of silk upon them. His hand braced the creamy flesh of her cheek and burned with the sensation of not being able to consume more of her. Her body cradled against his and he pulled her closer determined not to let her go this time. The kiss ended way too soon and with their foreheads still slightly touching, their eyes locked, winter threaten to swallow them. The snow fell at a heavier pace, but completely unnoticed. She briefly glanced at her watch before returning her eyes to his stare.
"Happy New Years, Mulder."
He smiled. "Happy New Years, Scully." He gently took her hand within his and together they continued the rest of the journey.
It came every year. Like a promise, unbroken and determined. It was fate offering a second chance, an opportunity to erase the slate and start over. There in the depths of every corner, in the deepest of folds existed the slightest ounce of hope that inspired a chance for the sinner to seek redemption, the liar to taste truth, and the lost to reach salvation. And for a couple of FBI Agents a second chance at love and a second chance at rediscovering each other.
THE END!