Bridging The Gap By Katie Phillips March 2004

Disclaimer: I know their not mine and I appreciate CC letting me play with them. Keywords: MSR, Scully and Mulder Angst Spoilers: Up through and including En Ami. Assumes basic knowledge of that episode. Feedback: Please!!! xfstories@yahoo.com Archive: I'll do the basics, if you want to put it somewhere else, please ask first (I always say 'yes').

Summary: Mulder has a hard time forgiving Scully for going off with the Cigarette Smoking Man. His actions, and hers, makes them each reevaluate their professional and personal relationship.

Author's notes: This is my first attempt to write a post-ep story, so please be gentle with me. I also wrote this without the aid of a beta. I have no one to blame but myself for any misspelled words or missing comas.

This story is dedicated to any X-files fan who was left wanting more when the credits rolled at the end of an episode.

XXX Scully had been duped, plain and simple. She turned to Mulder hoping for some words to soothe her hurt pride but he had already left Spender's offices. She hastened down the stairs and outside to where her car was parked.

Mulder wasn't sitting in the car as she expected but leaning against it, arms crossed his body language telling her he was no where near forgiving her for going off without him.

Scully walked around and opened up the driver's door glancing over the car at Mulder. He didn't make any motion towards getting in himself. "I think I'll take the bus home Scully." His voice was flat, without emotion.

Scully merely nodded. It was abundantly obvious that Mulder couldn't get away from her fast enough. "Okay, I guess I'll see you Monday." The statement came out more like a question as Scully tried to feel out her partner's intentions. It was Friday afternoon and it had been months since they had not seen each other on the weekends.

Mulder simply nodded and Scully shivered at the icy look he gave her as she got into the car. She watched him in her rearview mirror as she drove away. He stood motionless, arms crossed over his chest watching her with the same dispassionate gaze until she disappeared from sight.

XXX

Mulder sighed deeply as Scully's car disappeared from view. It would be a pain-in-the-neck to get home from here, but he knew that if he had stayed in her presence one second longer he would have likely said something they would have both regretted. Better that they have a chance to calm down before speaking. Scully hated when things were bad between them and Mulder was confident that she would come to him and ask his forgiveness.

Looking up and down the street, Mulder quickly decided against taking the bus and waved down a cab. Climbing into the back seat, he told the driver where to go before letting his mind drift.

How could things between him and Scully gotten so bad, so quickly....

Ever since the first of the year, things between him and Scully had begun to shift. To most of the world, the subtle changes in their relationship would have perceived as moving along at a snail's pace. Mulder snorted to himself remembering how it had taken him close to seven years to come up with the nerve to actually kiss her. And it hadn't been much of a kiss at that.

Enough, though, to start the ball rolling.

Scully's attack at the hands of Donnie Pfaster resulted in the next major shift. After dealing with the FBI and the local PD, Mulder had taken his visibly shaken partner back to his apartment. There he had stayed up with her all night, holding her and comforting her has she relived, over and over, the terror of Pfaster's attack.

To thank him for his support and his help in cleaning up her apartment, Scully had taken Mulder out to dinner two weeks later. Her choice of restaurants was a far cry from the takeout joints and greasy diners they usually frequented. It had been a small Italian restaurant and they had spent the evening, not talking about the X-files, but about themselves. Mulder had even gotten up the nerve to kiss her again. This time on her cheek.

In California, Scully had been deeply affected by a case involving a doctor's choice of treatment on a dying patient. Mulder, not being able to stand seeing her so down, had insisted on a night of dancing before they returned to DC. Scully had reluctantly agreed and they had spent the night sipping beer and in each other's arms. Mulder kissed her again that night, twice.

It was only after Scully saved Mulder from death at the hands of a computer generated female, that Mulder felt pumped up enough to show Scully how much passion he had for her. After escorting her back to her apartment, he had come in for coffee as was his habit. They sat on the couch and talked and joked about their adventures inside the video game and before Mulder knew it, they were making out like teenagers on Lover's Lane.

Mulder had been all too willing to move the action into Scully's bedroom, but Scully had put an abrupt stop to that thought by simply placing her hand on his chest and shaking her head. She had been right, as always. His lust had been provoked by having his ass kicked by one buxom female before having his ass saved by another.

Scully made her wishes perfectly clear. She wanted him, badly, but was determined that their first night together not end prematurely with each of them scrambling to get ready for work. Mulder reluctantly agreed and they had chosen their next free weekend to escape to the shore and consummate their relationship.

Mulder was pulled back to the present by the cab driver demanding payment. Mulder dug out his wallet and shoved a wad a bills into the driver's waiting hand. He climbed out of the car and headed into his building his mood getting more sour by the minute, especially when he admitted to himself that he had half-expected to see Scully's car parked in front of his building waiting for him.

This was supposed to have been 'their' weekend. Now it looked like he would be spending it alone.

XXX

Scully arrived back at her apartment her feelings of hurt having been replaced with those of anger. She known the moment that she had agreed to go with Spender that Mulder would be mad at her. For a brief moment, when she had appeared at his door having returned from her adventure, she saw relief wash over his face only to be replaced by rage. She never, in a million years, thought he would be so mad as to not even listen to her complete explanation.

How many times had she dropped everything to bail him out of trouble when he ditched her? More than she could count. Not once had she treated him the way he was treating her now. She knew that Mulder was waiting for her to appear at his apartment ready to say whatever it took to make things right between them.

Not this time.

A long soak in the tub eased some of Scully's anger, but not all of it. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly six. Mulder should be beginning to wonder where she was. He wasn't very patient when it came to such things and Scully sat half listening for his familiar knock.

When it hadn't come by ten, she closed the book she was pretending to read and headed into her bedroom. Rummaging through her drawer, she came upon the nightgown she had picked out for their romantic weekend away. Disgusted by the mere sight of it, she threw it into a corner and picked out her baggiest pair of pajamas. If Mulder decided to make a late night appearance, she had no intention of rewarding him for his efforts.

Scully tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. Her mind wouldn't relax enough to let sleep overtake her. She had to find a way, somehow, to convince Mulder that her actions were legitimate. Even as she scolded herself for needing to prove herself to him, Scully knew she would get no peace until she did.

The first light of day found Scully throwing a few items into a bag and heading out the door. She had no intention of calling Mulder and telling him where she was going. Instead she left a note on her kitchen counter.

'Have gone looking for evidence. Alone. Will be back in time for work on Monday.'

XXX

It took most of the day to drive to Milford, Pennsylvania. Scully was exhausted by the time she reached the cabin on the lake. Impatient to get inside, Scully threw the car into park and dashed up the front stairs.

Unlike Marjorie Butters deserted house, this one was still furnished. It was, however, void of any personal touches. Scully rifled through several drawers before discovering a brochure describing the cabin and those around it.

Spender had taken her to a rental property.

Discouraged but still determined to find something to rationalize her journey here, Scully slowly went through every room looking for clues. The last room she checked was the room in which she slept. Scully closed her eyes thinking again of how she woke up in this room wearing pajamas that were not her own. Opening her eyes, she threw the closet door open. It was empty but for one thing.

The black dress she had worn to dinner.

Scully grabbed the dress and stormed from the room.

Scully sat on the edge of the pier dangling her feet into the water. The air was still warm and the water cool as she dragged her feet slowly back and forth. She couldn't help but think of the man who had died in these waters and how close she had been to dying herself. Scully was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the sound of the cigarette lighter being used behind her.