Disclaimer: If you recognize the character then it is not mine. If you don't recognize them... politely put them back on my shelf. I am not good at sharing.

Spoilers: "Nothing's going to spoil us...."

A/N: It's just been rattling around in my noggin for a while. And Julia is vehement that I write it... she actually cursed at me. I have proof. Anyway... I know a lot of people are not going to like this direction this story takes, but deal with it. It works out in the end. I have been watching too much Nick at Night for it not to. Anyway, just because I didn't make it clear, Scully is on vacation with her family... 3 weeks on a yacht... their own mini-cruise. Lucky duck.

Scully sighed and leaned back in the chair, wincing slightly as the rough fabric came into contact with her sunburn. She hadn't meant to lie out on the deck for so long, but she couldn't help it. The warmth was nice after the long DC winter.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she used the code the hotel had given her and logged on to their computer. The connection was actually pretty fast and she signed in to her e-mail within a few seconds.

She had several junk messages that she had to mark as spam, but she finally found the one she had been looking for. It was from Mulder.

Hey Scully,

I assume that you're somewhere in the Keys right now, judging by your itinerary. Of course, Bill may have taken you hostage, to a remote island after claiming it was only going to be a three hour tour. Is he making everyone call him Skipper? The things your brother will do to keep you away from me... it boggles the mind. You would make a good Ginger though. Just saying. I can't imagine your family stuck on a boat together for 3 weeks. I hope you're all getting along. Do you miss me yet? I would miss me. But I would also be dehydrated from the seasickness, so I guess I am not a good barometer for how much I should be missed.

I'm really bored without you. Can you tell?

I've been watering your plants like you asked, but don't be surprised if there is something dead when you get back. I am not very good at this. I also picked up your mail. You got an invitation to your high school reunion. They want a response by this weekend. I can check the appropriate box for you and send it back if you want. It's just a little postcard, so it's not like I have to even find an envelope or anything.

Are you wearing a bikini? I know you have been wondering how long it would take before I asked that.

Work is boring. Skinner is doing everything he can to keep me out of the field. He says that he doesn't feel comfortable letting me out there without someone watching my back. So here I sit, doing paperwork, consulting with VCS, and basically counting down the days until you come home. Only 12 more. That's not too long. I hope I survive.

I saw this movie on TV the other night. It was really good. I think you would like it. I can't remember the title right this second, but I have it written down somewhere. Maybe when you get back we can order pizza and watch it together.

That's all for now. I hope you're having fun. Don't forget about me in this cold, dark basement. Stay safe, G-Woman.

M

She smiled to herself and hit the reply button.

Mulder,

We are in the Keys right now, at a nice hotel with cable and air conditioning and hot water... I am in heaven. I know it sounds like I have been camping in the remote wilderness instead of tanning on a boat, but it is nice to get my feet back on land, no matter how much I love the sea.

Bill actually did want us to call him Skipper and Charlie Gilligan. You can imagine how well that went over. I think the words "whiny wuss fart" were uttered. By me. I know, I know. But old habits die hard. Other than that we're all getting along. Bill hasn't even tried to "set me straight" yet. Will wonders never cease?

I do miss you. I tried not to, but it was really hard. Finally I just accepted that being away from you is not that fun, and I will probably never want to do it again, free vacation or not.

Ug, High School reunion? Isn't this a weird year to have it? It's not a 10 or a 20, so what gives? Just mark no and send it back for me. I do not want to relive those years, thank you very much.

Speaking of high school, I am not telling you what I'm wearing until you tell me what you're wearing.

I'm sorry you're bored at work. Maybe you should clean up the office a little. Who knows what little treasures you might find in there? Another Big Foot sighting? Ghosts in the White House? That tie that you swear was eaten by something living in there? Yes, I am mocking you, and no, I do not mean it seriously.

I only have 12 days of vacation left? And then I have to go back to that cold, dark basement? Can you play me some calypso music to ease me back in to reality? It's not exactly like being out here, but close enough.

I would never forget about you, Mulder, don't worry. I have hospital bills and damaged suits that will always remind me of our time together.

See you soon.

S


She stared up at the sky, feeling the boat rock beneath her as a slight breeze ruffled her hair. She had one hand propped behind her head, the other hand resting on her bare stomach. As relaxed as she was, she felt like something was missing. It wasn't like she didn't know what it was; she just didn't feel like confronting that particular emotion at the moment.

Or maybe out at sea, with only the moon as her witness, she could play over in her head what she was feeling in her very soul.

She missed Mulder. Every e-mail she got was like a gulp of cold water in her mouth, but then it warmed her from the inside too. The little jokes ran through her mind for days and she could imagine the twinkle in his eye as he wrote them. She could still feel his arms around her when he dropped her off at the airport. She could still feel his lips on her forehead. She could still hear "Don't miss me too much, Scully." His voice. It was the one she heard in her dreams, the one she heard when she cried, the one she heard when she was lonely.

"Dana, aren't you cold out here?" her mother asked, stepping into the cooling night.

"No, not yet."

"Are you thinking about Fox?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I miss him."

"I can tell."

"I can hear his voice," she murmured, the boat relaxing her and loosening her tongue. "I love his voice. It's like..." she trailed off for a moment and sighed again before shooting her tongue out across her lips and continuing. "It's pure and rich and deep like honey. And it's crisp and smooth like cream. I sound like an idiot."

"No you don't."

"Mom, I just said his voice sounds like honey and cream. That doesn't even make sense." She sat up, blinking as she fully realized what she had said. "I think I may have gotten too much sun today."

"Maybe you're finally thinking clearly."

"Mom."

"You're in love, Dana."

"Am I?" she asked, not as a challenge, but in a truly shocked tone.

"Yes, you are."

"I don't think so."

"Sweetie, I'm not a moron."

"Mom, I love him. There is no way I could ever love anyone more than I love him. But IN love? And even if I was, what would I do about it? He probably doesn't feel the same way. And if he did, we couldn't change anything. The FBI would split us up. And it may not even work out. I mean, we can fight like you wouldn't believe. We say things to each other that are so bad sometimes. If we brought another element into the already complicated mix, I'm sure something drastic would happen, like the world stopping. No, I can't risk it."

"Dana."

"Mom, would you gamble with the most precious thing in your life? Would you?"

"Dana, I think you're forgetting how good it could be. You're worrying yourself over things that don't matter. Things that the two of you can deal with together. That's what makes a relationship, honey. Working through all the fears and hard times together."

"It scares me so much mom. The idea of losing him... I can't handle it."

"Dana, think of the times in your life when you have felt the most safe, the most secure, the most loved. All those times are with him, aren't they?"

She let out a slow sigh and stood up, walking to the side of the boat, closer to her mother.

"Yeah. They are."

"Wouldn't you like that safety and security and love for the rest of your life?"

"Of course. But I would rather have it sometimes like I do now, than have it all the time and lose it."

"Well, as I see it, if the two of you were to enter into a relationship and it did happen to end, it would be your doing, not his. You would be the one to get scared and run away. I've watched you do it before. And while it was probably good that you ran from those relationships, I wouldn't want you to run from him. He will hold onto you until he dies if you let him. But he will also let you run. I'm convinced that he would never leave you on his own. You don't have to worry about his end of the deal."

"I know. And I do worry about myself, but I love him too much to ever run away. I couldn't do that to him."

"And you're still scared?"

"I guess I worry that he doesn't feel the same way I do."

"You doubt that he loves you?"

"No. I just... I don't know if he wants to be with me. I'm probably not even his type."

"That's crap, Dana and you know it."

She lifted her eyebrows at her mother's use of "crap."

"Well it is!"

"Mom, I don't want to put him in a position where he has to say that he loves me if he really doesn't."

"That's not going to happen. Just think about it. Be honest with yourself, don't just assume it's not going to work because you're a closet pessimist. Really look at the situation. You'll be surprised."

"Are you sure?"

"Have I ever given you bad advice?"

"No."

"Yes, I'm sure. Let yourself be happy, Dana. You deserve it."

"Thanks mom."

Maggie kissed her daughter's head, then went back inside the boat. Scully sighed to herself, wrapping her arms around her middle and leaning against the boat railing.

She was in love.

Badly.

But what was she going to do about it? She couldn't very well just drop the bomb on him, could she? Maybe she was just going to have to wait until she got home and then feel out the situation.

She had a sinking feeling suddenly, like she was running out of time. It was almost a blinding panic.

She choked back the ragged breaths and calmed herself down. She would tell him as soon as she was home. First thing. Dropping the bomb or not, she was going to lay all her cards on the table.

She just hoped he was willing to pick them up.