'Hey, Scully?' Mulder sounded serious, 'I, uh, know it's not your normal life, but,' pausing to find the right words, he decided simple might just be best after all he'd put Scully through in the last couple of weeks. 'Thanks for coming out there with me.'
A smile graced her lips as she replied, 'you're welcome.'
Ending the call, Scully shook her head. Picking up a notebook from her desk, she opened the top draw, intending to put it away. The low level lighting caught a shiny item nestled in the corner. Curiosity made her hand reach for the object.
Rolling the fused copper penny and nickel dime between the fingers of her left hand, Scully wondered how the object managed to find its way into the draw. The cool combination of metal sparked some memory, to fleeting and vague to capture. Frowning, she pocketed the strange object, intending to ask Mulder about it the next time she saw him. He often collected odd little things.
Sighing warily, Scully began to close down her computer before finally leaving for the evening. Sleep had been a luxury recently. Although not on the X-files, Mulder insisted they chase down every lead. Take this adventure to Nevada, Scully rolled her eyes, wondering when she'd finally say no to the man. A midnight phone call from a questionable source and the next day we're on a flight into the middle of the desert. It ended, as usual, in another disappointment for Mulder.
Walking to her car, Scully felt the sudden impulse to take the fused coin back into her hand. 'Where did you come from,' Scully asked the object, holding it up to eye level. Once again memories threatened to crowd her mind but vanished before any sense could be made of them. 'I feel I should know.' Sighing at her whimsy, Scully replaced the coin in her pocket, unlocked her car and climbed in for the forty five minute drive back to Annapolis.
The back tires of her car had just cleared the FBI multistorey parking lot when her cell's piercing shrill rent the air. As everyone else had left for the evening, including Mulder, Scully put the car in park on the driveway. Not wanting to join the late evening traffic while talking on the phone, Scully picked up the offending object only to notice Mulder's number displayed on the screen. Rolling her eyes, she wondered what he needed now. They'd barely ended their last call.
'What?' she asked in the most pleasant voice she could manage. After all, I wanted to go home, make a simple salad, take a bath and turn in for an early night. None of which will happen if Mulder gets his way, Scully's mind anticipated.
'Ah, Scully, could you come by my place,' Mulder sounded strange, apprehensive almost.
'Mulder,' Scully made his name into a long, drawn out whine. His apartment in Alexandria just happened to be in the opposite direction to her home.
'Please,' he begged, 'something really strange is going on!'
'I'll be there in fifteen,' Scully gave in with a sigh as she remembered the overnight bag still in the boot of her car. The simple act of considering sleeping on the hard wooden floor at Mulder's demonstrating her level of fatigue. Making her voice sound threatening, Scully stated, 'as long as you have Thai food waiting.'
'OK,' Mulder gave in effortlessly, making Scully nervous, 'I'll call them now.'
He really didn't like Thai food, especially when it meant going without meat because Scully had a partiality for vegetarian cuisine. For Mulder to agree without argument, his mind had to be taken up with something else. Something BIG that he knew Scully wouldn't like. Hanging up the phone, she recalled the entire conversation. Something strange didn't begin to describe it, she realised belatedly.
'You owe me, big time,' Scully greeted a stunned Mulder, handing him the carry bag full of pungent smelling food. The regular delivery boy had been about to buzz apartment 42 when Scully approached the door. 'Even your take out suppliers recognise me. The kid can't be more than eighteen and he hit me for the cost of this.'
The bag still hung in the air between them. Mulder hadn't made a move to accept the offering. Nor had he taken Scully's coat from her shoulders as he'd normally do. Beginning to become annoyed, Scully opened her mouth to scold him, when Mulder swept his hand before him. Hazel clashed with blue for an instant before Scully finally took a look at her surroundings. What she saw shocked her to the core of her being. Dropping the meal on the floor, she closed her eyes, swallowing convulsively.
Stepping back out into the hall, she fingered the number 42, now neatly reattached to the door. Looking down the hallway, Scully knew she'd entered the correct building. Returning inside, she shed her coat before hanging it on the stand silently awaiting the garment. It hadn't been there yesterday evening when she picked Mulder up on the way to the airport. Two umbrellas graced the remaining hooks, neatly denying they'd ever lived elsewhere. Mulder's leather jacket remained attached to his shoulders, he still hadn't moved.
'Hang your coat up, Mulder,' Scully told him sternly, 'there has to be a rational explanation for this.'
Slowly, as thought in a dream, he moved to do as she said. Two sets of eyes examining the small entry room which doubled as Mulder's meals area. Scully couldn't remember it ever being this clean or bright. The light fixture had been replaced with a higher wattage bulb allowing the now clear table to show off its cloth.
'I didn't know you owned table linen,' Scully's eyebrow rose.
'I don't,' Mulder returned, still demonstrating his astonishment, 'at least I don't think I ever did. Scully,' pausing to capture her gaze and communicate the level of his unease, Mulder stated, 'it's not the only thing I never owned.'
Finally forced from his mental immobilization, Mulder grabbed Scully's hand and lead her into the small kitchen to the left of the entry room. It stood polished to within an inch of its life, almost back to its 1940's former glory. Benches scrubbed clean and cleared of Mulder's pre-packaged food allowing room for the toaster and coffee maker to take pride of place. The window shone in the overhead lighting, giving the newly washed curtains a fresh look.
Venturing into the room, Scully chanced opening a cupboard door. Extra virgin olive oil, salt, herbs, pasta and sauces graced the shelves, neatly stacked in an organised manner reminding Scully of her kitchen. With a feeling akin to a miracle, Scully wandered to the fridge. While the ubiquitous beer occupied the middle shelf, above and below contained healthy options, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and several bottles of good quality white whine.
'OK, who are you and what have you done with My Mulder,' Scully asked, perturbed by the sight before her. Instinctively she reached for her gun, but just as quickly attempted to hide the movement.
'You think this is strange, Scully, come look at my bedroom,' Mulder stated, disbelief colouring his words. He didn't miss much, including Scully's reaction to his full fridge. Yet his mind wouldn't allow the amusement he should have felt at her gob smacked reaction.
'You don't have a bedroom, Mulder,' Scully eyed him suspiciously.
'Not until now,' he quipped, his sense of humour finally returning.
Taking Scully's hand in his, Mulder lead them back through the entry hall to his living room. Apart from the blue shaded lamps and pillar candles decorating the area, the room didn't appear much different. However, in the corner, Scully spied a door. Honestly, she'd never give it much notice before, assuming it hid the bathroom.
'I've had trouble sleeping since the night Samantha disappeared. Over the years I used my bedroom as a storage area,' Mulder explained, his right hand resting on the handle as he shrugged his shoulders in easy dismissal. As much as he wanted to share this amazing sight, Mulder felt nervous. He loathed the seventies décor and believed Scully would think it tacky. 'I've lived in this apartment since joining the Bureau in '86, Scully. I think I used the bed my Mom gave me for the first week before taking up the couch. After that, I dumped anything and everything in here. Until yesterday, I couldn't open the door without something falling out on top of me.'
Scully's eyes mirrored her understanding. They spent more time on the road than in their own homes. She'd come to know Mulder's night time routine intimately. Taking a deep breath, preparing for an onslaught of Lord only knew what; Scully mentally prepared herself for Mulder opening the door.
Moments later her astounded blue eyes mirrored her shock. Beyond the door, a four poster water bed took up most of the floor space. Covered in a yellow and black leopard print, the scene echoed off the reflective surface on the roof. Like the rest of the apartment, not a speck of dust marred the room. Every personal item in the room had a place and could be found in its place. This space didn't reflect the Mulder Scully knew.
Two wooden doors graced the right hand wall. 'I gather that's your bathroom,' Scully commented, pointing to closer of the two. Through the slightly ajar portal Dana spotted a clean bath tub. 'I didn't know you had one of those either. I've never been here long enough to need to use it before.'
Shrugging his shoulder, Mulder commented, 'I usually run in the morning and get cleaned up at work. I keep my suits in my locker or at the drycleaners down the road from the Hoover building.'
'Figures,' Scully muttered under her breath. Thinking about cleaning up, she suddenly remembered the food currently residing on the entry floor. Turning to face her partner, she saw the instant he too remembered their dinner. Both turned back to see what they could salvage.
'It's cold, but none of the tubs burst when you dropped it, Scully,' Mulder called from the kitchen. Locating plates, he distributed the food unevenly. Deciding he actually like this new, clean version of his home, Mulder found a microwave plate cover and heated Scully smaller serve.
Choosing to use the table for a change, Scully retrieved two sets of chopsticks. Laying them before the chairs, she suddenly remembered the odd coin from her desk draw. Taking it out of her trench pocket, Dana fingered it once again. A deep memory stirred, flittered across her conscious and buried itself once again.
'Mulder, what do you think happened here,' she asked, meaning the coin.
'Honestly, Scully, it's an X-file,' he said over his shoulder, distracted by the ping from the microwave. An idea of who might be responsible formed in his mind. He'd feed Scully first, and then discuss how she'd managed this small miracle. Placing his plate in the appliance, Mulder joined his partner at the table with her meal. 'I don't know who did this, but you think we could open a bottle of that wine and celebrate the once in a life time spring clean?'
'I'm game,' Scully commented, 'if you can find some clean glasses to accompany it.'
'Ye of little faith, Scully,' Mulder mocked, 'anyone going to this much trouble must have purchased new wine flutes.'
'So,' Scully brought a mouthful of noodles to her lips. The smell alone, after little sleep the night before, two cross country flights and greasy diner grade meals, made her tongue beg for a taste. Shovelling in the food, she moaned with pleasure as the garlic and spice hit her taste buds.
'Enjoying, Scully,' Mulder smiled at her, placing a glass of white beside her plate.
Mouth half full, she glared at him. Finally masticating the noodles enough to swallow, she asked, 'who do you think is responsible for this?'
A look of utter incredulity crossed his face. She'd give him the perfect opening and Mulder took it. 'You!' he stated with a wide grin.
'Me,' unable to keep the astonishment from her tone, Scully looked up at Mulder to realise he honestly thought she'd accomplished all this. 'No, Mulder, not me,' she stated emphatically.
That took the wind out of his sails, 'really,' he muttered, returning to the kitchen at the sound of the microwave announcing his meal. 'Honestly, Scully, you didn't arrange to have this done while we were away in Nevada?' he asked, taking the seat beside her.
'No, Mulder, I did not,' she once again made the emphatic denial.
'Then I have no idea,' he stated, obviously at a loss to explain it.
'Do you think The Gunman…' Scully's commented became drowned out by Mulder's raucous laughter.
'You've seen their apartment, Scully,' he mocked, 'it's in worse shape than mine, well than it use to be.'
Slipping into silence, they enjoyed the meal. Both lost in thought, the food on their plates soon disappeared. As Scully reached for Mulder's plate, she remembered the coin. Picking it up, she laid it on the palm of her hand.
'Where did you get that, Scully,' Mulder asked.
Intrigued by the oddly fused metal, he reached out to take it. Mulder's fingers making contact with the coin completed the circuit to Scully palm. Time stood still as memories of the last three days returned. At first they appeared as flashes, each distinct and discreet. The meaning became clearer as one image linked with others forming an integrated picture. Finally the scenes coalesced into acts, added together in the correct sequence, they resembled a movie. Able to understand significance of these events at last, Mulder and Scully locked gazes. The emotion accompanying this film overwhelmed the partners.
'Scully,' Mulder's free hand came to cup her cheek. One image from those days invaded his minds eye. Scully, standing before him, lost and displaced, on an empty highway in the middle of the desert, informing Mulder that she couldn't help him retune to his rightful body. Yet she'd been the one to lose everything, her career, her partner, her trust. Once again, he'd been the catalyst, asking her to break bureau policy and take off in the middle of the night for some half baked quest for the truth.
'Mulder,' she replied, lifting her hand to press his touch against her cheek. Understanding reflected from her blue orbs. Scully's thoughts centred on the same moment, witnessing Mulder gently place a pile of sunflower seeds into her palm. The pain of loosing everything dear to her didn't compare to losing him. Without Mulder the quest no longer mattered. 'I thought I'd lost you forever,' she stated in a mournful tone. Unable to keep the emotions she usually restrained at bay, Scully closed her lids to hide the pooling tears.
'Scully,' unwilling to be the centre of her pain, Mulder pulled her into his embrace. Tucking her head beneath his chin, his larger, stronger arms engulfed Scully. Laying a gentle kiss on her crown, he wondered where they went from here. 'You said if I wasn't so dam ugly, you kiss me,' Mulder heard the words and realised he'd crossed a line they'd drawn years ago.
Opening her eyes, Dana lifted her head. Their gazes locked once again and Scully instinctively knew what he asked. A slow smile crept onto her face. Moving her hand to the nape of his neck, she whispered, 'you don't look so ugly now.'
Taking the hint, Mulder moved in. At first he only allowed their foreheads to touch. He wanted to give Scully time to back out, to reconsider. If they did this, it would change their relationship forever. 'I can't lose you again, Scully,' Mulder whispered.
'The one thing I've learnt from this,' Scully paused to let her words sink in, 'I don't want to go on without you.'
Tilting his head to the side, Mulder bridged the gap between them. His lips slowly, gently pressed against hers. Mouths opened slightly, they allowed each other time to explore. Pulling away, the emotions from the sweet first kiss spoke volumes. A conversation passed in the blink of an eye as blue and hazel locked.
'No regrets,' Scully scolded, reading her partners mind.
Nodding in agreement, Mulder picked Scully up and carried her to his bedroom. They had a long way to go before consummating a physical relationship, but tonight, the foundations of their partnership had changed. They lay together, spooned, without the need for words. Being held by the other enough for now, the rest would come with time.