After I wrote 'All things my way,' I started to feel a little more romantic about Mulder and Scully. I remembered how I used to watch really old movies when I was a kid, and how they teased and tortured until the lovers finally ... kissed.

So, a second interpretation came to mind of what happened in the missing moments during All Things. Again, I certainly welcome comments and reviews, but please be kind, as this is just my second outing at fanfic and I am posting them on the same night.

By the way, I do not own the characters, licence, copyright or much of anything else ... blah, blah, blah.

All things … a different way

Mulder and Scully sat close together on the sofa, as Scully told the tale of her weekend. She relayed her story of Daniel, the affair, the break-up and the strange events that followed after seeing him again in the hospital that weekend. Mulder listened intently with a solemn expression. Two half-drunk mugs of tea sat on the coffee table, where a drowsy and exhausted Scully propped her shoeless feet. They had been talking for a while.

"I just find it hard to believe," said Mulder, and Scully asked what part. He can't believe that while he was in England for two days, Scully's whole life changed. She argued that her whole life didn't really change.

"You speaking to God in a Buddhist temple? God speaking back," said Mulder incredulously. Lazily, Scully reminded him that God didn't really speak back, but that she did have some kind of a vision.

"Well, for you, that's like saying you're having David Crosby's baby," Mulder deadpanned, eliciting a small smile from Scully. The next moment, she turned quiet and pensive. Mulder asked what was wrong. Scully told him she once considered spending her whole life with Daniel and wondered what she would have missed if she did. Mulder countered that we can't really know how many different lives would we have been leading if we had made different choices.

"What if there was only one choice and all the other ones were wrong? And there were signs along the way to pay attention to?" Scully questioned.

"Mmm…and all the choices would then lead to this very moment. One wrong turn, and ... we wouldn't be sitting here together. Well, that says a lot. That says a lot, a lot, a lot. That's probably more than we should be getting into at this late hour."

"Scully?"

Mulder looked down and found she had fallen asleep against his shoulder. In slow motion, he tenderly brushed a strand of hair out of her face, then gazed at her a moment while soft music played in the background. He pulled his colorful wool blanket over her and carefully tucked it around her. Slowly, he stood, but didn't move.

Mulder gazed at Scully, reclined on his couch. She must be dreaming, he thought. But of what? He knew what he dreamt of most nights…the comfort of her lying beside him. And he knew how he woke up…alone, disappointed…and often horny.

The warmth of her skin still lingered on his hand, from where he brushed the soft hair off her face. God, but her skin looked creamy and smooth in the faint light. Even several feet away from her, the subtle scent of her skin filled his nostrils. Mulder felt a familiar quiver in his chest and quickly turned away.

Mulder walked toward his bedroom and went through his usual nightly routine – pee, brush teeth, strip, put on a pair of boxers and crawl into bed … alone … again.

He turned off the lamp and peered out into the muted light of the living room. He could just barely see Scully's feet dangling off the edge of the sofa. God those small feet were perfect, he thought. He'd always had an attraction toward her feet and once had even had the opportunity to rub them for her after a long day of 'monster chasing.' He would never forget how they felt in his hands. Mulder gazed at them until drowsiness overtook him and plunged him into dreamland.

Scully awoke slowly and was vaguely aware of something scratchy on her skin. The wool blanket…Mulder's wool blanket. She was on Mulder's couch. She'd slept on the couch before, but had never woken up in quite this position. Scully began to sit and her hand shot quickly to the back of her neck.

"Oh dammit, my neck," she whispered, wincing at the pain. Scully rubbed the left side of her neck and tried to stretch it back and forth as she sat up all the way. This just wasn't going to do. She could get a pillow from Mulder, but she looked up and saw his bedroom was dark. He was asleep, and the window showed streetlamps on outside. It was still only the early hours of the night.

Scully pondered her options. She didn't really like driving at night and she was so weary, she might just fall asleep behind the wheel. If she stayed on Mulder's couch all night, she was sure the sore neck would turn into a major problem by morning. There really was only one logical option….and she hoped Mulder wouldn't mind.

She also really, really had to pee. The only way to the bathroom was through Mulder's bedroom. Using her best FBI tiptoe, she quietly approached his room. She entered the bathroom in darkness and closed the door before turning on the light and relieving herself.

Her mouth felt sticky from the tea she'd had with Mulder a few hours ago. She opened Mulder's medicine cabinet, not wanting to snoop, just looking for some toothpaste. Regardless, she couldn't resist taking a look, although there wasn't much to see. A variety of combs with different sized teeth (so that's how he kept that hair looking so damned gorgeous) and a razor on the bottom shelf; a toothbrush, paste and a bottle of Aspirin on the middle shelf; and on the top, a box of condoms. She hesitated for a moment and pulled the condoms off the shelf. The top of the box was very slightly dusty. Scully smiled to herself and put the condoms back exactly where she found them before grabbing the toothpaste and the Aspirin. She put a little toothpaste on her finger, scrubbed as well as she could, and rinsed. She shook out a couple of Aspirin for the pain in her neck and used Mulder's bathroom cup to wash them down, before putting everything away neatly.

She left the bathroom light on and let the door stand ajar just enough to cast a sliver of light across the room. Scully stood silently for a minute, watching Mulder's bare chest move gently as he slept. His chest wasn't heavily muscled and his abdomen wasn't exactly rippled, but his body was damned attractive, Scully mused. She enjoyed stealing looks at his long, lean form whenever she had the chance. "I'm a professional, but I'm not a stone," she thought, drinking in the sexy sight of her partner stretched out languidly.

Realizing how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in her skirt and jacket, Scully began to disrobe, taking off everything except her bra and underwear, and draping her clothes over the back of a chair. She opened Mulder's closet and took out a white shirt. She brought it up to her face ... it smelled like Mulder. Scully slipped into the shirt, which hung almost her knees on her petite form.

She walked around the bed and gently sat down. Mulder was not a heavy sleeper. He opened his eyes and gazed at Scully for a moment, as if still in a dream.

"Scully," was all he said.

"Mulder," she said. The two agents stayed silent for a minute, just looking at each other, neither with any discernable expression.

Mulder smiled, but furrowed his brow. "Weren't you on my couch, Scully?"

"Yes, Mulder, I was, but I woke up a while ago with a really sore neck. The couch just isn't going to work for me tonight."

More silence.

Mulder began to smile a little.

"Mulder, stop smiling," said Scully, with a small grin herself. "I was just thinking that if I stayed on that couch all night, I might not be able to move my neck in the morning. I changed into one of your shirts and I was wondering if … if it would be okay if I shared your bed with you for the rest of the night. Would you mind that?"

"Mind, Scully?" Mulder gazed at her for a moment. "It might drive me a little crazy, but I certainly wouldn't mind. You will try to control yourself and try not to take advantage of me, won't you Scully?" By this time, Mulder was grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat.

"Mulder," she said, trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face while shoving him sideways on the bed, "move over and give me a pillow." Mulder obeyed. "Here, Scully, try my feather pillow; it'll be good for your neck," he said softly. "Thanks," said Scully, as she lay down with her back to him. She molded the pillow under her neck, closed her eyes, and let out a very audible and very blissful sigh.

Mulder's breath caught at the contented sound. It was the sexiest thing he had ever heard … and in his bed … and coming from Scully.

"Scully," he gulped, …"you okay?"

"Yes, Mulder, it's wonderful."

Mulder grinned again. "I was hoping I'd hear you say that some day in my bed."

Scully was used to Mulder's innuendo, come-ons and one-liners, which he used loosely on a day-to-day basis, but this remark made her eyes fly wide open. She felt her breath quicken and hoped he didn't notice. She had to come back with some witty retort ... and quickly … but her tongue seemed frozen. After what seemed like an eternity, what she said came as a surprise even to her.

"Really?"

The two agents lay still in a drawn out silence. Finally, Mulder crawled close behind Scully and drew himself up on one elbow. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered very quietly, "really."

Scully stared at the wall, trying to absorb what Mulder had just said, while at the same time trying not to think about his warm breath on her ear and neck. She tried to speak but, once again, the words were not coming out. Instead, she just sighed. She felt Mulder brush his lips very lightly against her ear.

Trying not to twist her neck too much, Scully turned slowly toward Mulder. The low light coming from the bathroom made his hazel eyes look dark and his pupils were very large. She reached up and touched his cheek, dragging her hand across the stubble and brushing his lips with her fingers. Mulder moved his lips slightly and kissed the tips of her fingers.

Scully turned away again and let her head sink into the soft pillow. Mulder moved in even closer behind her, his left arm high on the pillow above her head, and his right arm around her torso. Scully edged back to meet his body fully. He was nuzzling his nose into her hair, breathing in her delicious aroma.

Scully felt warmth grow in her belly as Mulder slipped his large hand under the shirt and rested it on the bare skin just above her navel. She knew he was aroused and did not attempt to pull her bottom away from his erection. They lay that way quietly for several minutes. Scully was the first to speak.

"Mulder?"

"Yeah, Scully?"

"I can't say I'm surprised at what you said, I'm just surprised … that you said it. There's so much unspoken between us and I just assumed it would remain unspoken for a while."

"But, Scully, I did try to tell you. I've said things before, but maybe I'm just too much of a joker for you to take me seriously. Do you remember that I told you I loved you once? You just said 'oh brother' and blew me off, like you believed it was just the drugs talking."

Scully shifted and stiffened a little. "Mulder, actually I did believe what you were saying. The drugs were just an excuse to turn tail and run. I wasn't ready or willing to deal with what you said. And … and I didn't know if I could say it back."

Mulder bit his bottom lip. His chest felt tight. He forced himself to ask. "So you didn't feel the same way, Scully? You don't feel the same way?"

Scully sighed deeply. She laid her hand softly over the one on her belly and stroked the long fingers with her thumb. Her voice was very low and Mulder stayed quiet as she slowly spoke. She spoke uninterrupted for quite a while.

"Mulder, I hope you know the answer to that. Mulder-loves-Scully, Scully-loves-Mulder," she said matter-of-factly. "It's been that way for a long time for the two of us. How could I not love you after all we've been through together? How could I have asked you to be the sperm donor … the father … of my baby if I didn't love you? I'd still love to have a baby with you if I was able to. The X-files have become as much a part of my life as they are of yours. Working on the X-files is all-consuming. How could I have stayed on the X-files this many years if I didn't love you?"

"The X-files have been exhilarating … and fascinating … and terrifying. When we're on a case, I'm who I am. I'm a scientist and I devote a large amount of energy to my work. I take it very seriously. But that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you. You are my partner, but you are so much more. You're always in my thoughts, Mulder, and the quiet moments we've been able to spend with each other have been some of the best moments of my life." Scully paused for several seconds. "Moments like this."

Pressing Mulder's hand into her belly, Scully carefully rolled onto her back and stared up at her partner. Even in the low light, she could see his eyes were moist. She lifted her left hand to his face just in time to feel a drop of moisture run across her finger. Scully brushed the tear across his cheek.

"To answer your question, once and for all, Mulder, yes … I love you."

Mulder smiled the smile that only Mulder could smile. There had been so many times he had hesitated, but not now. This time, he merely leaned forward and pressed his lips to Scully's. He draped his upper body across hers and the two partners ran their hands across each other's sides and backs as they kissed. It was slow and soft, unrushed. They both wanted to take their time feeling each other's lips slide across their own. Lips parted and tongues touched lazily.

Mulder had often fanaticized about wild, passionate, frenzied kisses with Scully … and most often, she was her pinned up against the nearest wall. This was unexpected. All he wanted to do at this moment was kiss her gently … and softly … and for forever. He wanted to slowly taste every corner of her mouth and give her the most tender kisses possible.

Mulder was starting to feel a little light headed.

He slowed the kissing even more and lifted his lips a few inches away. He looked at Scully, her eyes still closed and lips slightly parted. Scully felt Mulder's breath on her mouth and opened her eyes. She felt a bit dizzy.

"Well," said Scully in a breathy sigh. "I'd say a long-standing curiosity has just been satisfied," smiling up at Mulder. "Or, at least one brief experiment."

"Hmmm….always the scientist, huh Scully? Are there any other experiments you'd be interested in?"

Mulder was happy to see Scully smiling. He loved to make her smile.

"Mulder, I think we have plenty of time ahead of us to explore anything we want…and I think we've just proven to each other just how much we want. Believe me, part of me is just aching to keep doing what we're doing … but Mulder, I don't know if I can begin to explain to you how exhausted I am. For now, would it be okay if we just tuck this moment away and sleep together in this bed for the rest of the night? I want to feel your arms around me as I drift off … and I promise you that I'll want that again and again."

Mulder kissed his partner gently. "Scully, whatever you want and however slow you want to go is fine. I'm so happy just to have you here and know that you really want to be here with me. Holding you all night long sounds like a dream come true."

Scully was still smiling. "Well, I must admit it's something I've dreamt about once or twice … even daydreamed about while we were in the office alone. But speaking of the office, I need to get up early and go home to change before work. If you're still sleeping, I won't wake you. After all, you'll know you'll see me again really soon."

"Not soon enough, Scully. But you do what you need to do and I'll see you at the office. Although I'm not sure I'll ever see you again the way I did before. I'll still see you as my incredibly talented partner, but I'll also see you as someone who cares for me more than one in six billion."

Scully stroked Mulder's thick sexy hair and raised herself a little for one last kiss before sleep. This kiss was brief but had considerably more passion than those they had shared just moments before. It left her breathless. A taste of things to come, she thought.

Scully pulled away and snuggled into the feather pillow, while Mulder spooned tightly behind her and draped his long arm over her again. He too was more weary than he had thought … and within moments the partners had drifted into dreamland together.

The sun shone through the slats of the window blinds. Scully opened her eyes, looked around the room, and sighed happily. She gazed at Mulder lying on his back beside her and the events of the previous evening flooded through her. She slowly stood, trying not to wake her partner.

She walked to the chair and took off Mulder's shirt, placing it where she retrieved her clothes. Scully walked to the bathroom. She tried to make herself look as presentable as possible, although her hair would need a good brushing out at home. She pulled on her green shirt and zipped up the side of her black skirt.

Scully came back into the bedroom, put on her jacket and looked at the long legs of her partner lying tangled among the blue sheets. She really wanted to get back into that bed, but made herself move quickly out of the bedroom so as not to be tempted. There would be plenty of time for that.

As she headed out of Mulder's apartment, she recalled their conversation on the couch the night before. What if she had made a different choice and simply drove home when she woke up on the couch last night? Where would that choice have led? Maybe there really was only one choice and any other one would have been wrong.

One wrong turn and she would have been walking out this door several hours earlier. But the signs had been there in front of her for years, and finally she had opened her eyes and focused long enough to really see them. Mulder had too.

As she headed toward the elevator, she wondered where the future would lead if she kept her eyes open, read all the right signs and, most importantly, listened to her heart.

The End