Facing Facts

Part 1

by Trycee

Time-Line: Season 7, before All Things.

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, this is written for fun not profit.

Dana Scully sighed as she stood outside the office, she was dreading stepping back into it because of one person, her partner, Fox Mulder. It was getting so much harder year after year, moment by moment to be so close to Mulder and not be able to touch him. She had been struggling all morning as he came in contact with her. Her breath would catch and she could feel the heat of his body as his arm came in contact with hers. His fingers would brush against hers or he would give her a look that made her shiver internally. She was becoming too affected by Mulder's presence lately and she didn't know how much longer she could hold out. She had just been called into Skinner's office and on her return had already formulated an escape plan from Mulder or else she wasn't sure how much longer she would last. One more brush of Mulder's body against hers, or the proximity of his lips as he leaned into her personal space to discuss a case and she would take him right there in the office, all professionalism thrown out the window. She needed to get away and fortunately he had already provided that out for her.

She stepped into the office and crossed her arms and walked over to his desk, standing in front of him. Her cold blue eyes were hiding her true feelings, she wanted Mulder...He looked so gorgeous in one of his blue pressed collared shirts with the arms rolled up. He was twisting a pencil around in his mouth. He looked up surprised as she stood there waiting for him to acknowledge her. "Scully?"

"You scheduled a vacation for me?", she said, trying to sound infuriated but she wasn't quite pulling it off.

"Surprise?", he said, with a wide smile but his smile soon faded as he watched her eyebrow raise. He knew then that he was in trouble.

He stood up and walked over to her and grabbed her wrist, pinning it to her side. Scully gasped out loud and Mulder stood inches from her body. He was startled by her response. He looked down at her, his lips were so close to her ear she had to stop herself from responding. Her knees became weak and he could smell her arousal. Scully wouldn't meet his eyes. Her heat had caused a reaction in him as well but he tried desperately to tamper it down. It wasn't hard to do ever since they're case with the Peacocks, just the thought of that family caused his erection to vacate. It was a trick he had used more times than he could even fathom.

"I wanted to surprise you...", he said, releasing her. He pulled out two basketball tickets from his pocket. "Two tickets to the Knicks tomorrow night...since we never get to actually see the games...I figured if I made sure we were both off work, they're be no risk in an X-Files interrupting..."

Scully had to keep from smiling. She had to push the smile down within her and feign anger if she would get away from him. If she spent another second with Mulder, she was going to assault him and that would not be the way she had always hoped they'd cross that line. Aggressive, horny, Scully was not what she wanted Mulder to see first...She wanted it to be love first, then sex...This was going to be hard, she thought.

"Sorry Mulder...but I've already decided I'd go visit my mom...", she said, stepping away from him.

She could tell that he wasn't buying her little "decision".

"Scully, you just found out about the vacation time...You haven't even called her..."

Scully nodded and then swung around to face him. "I'm sure it'll be okay...I'm sure my mom would love this surprise visit.", she said, pulling out her cell phone.

She could see Mulder looking down at the tickets in his hand and then back up to her. It nearly broke her heart but she had to get away from him and not go to New York with him.

"You don't want to go with me?".

Scully breathed heavily, her eyes closed. If he walked over to her she knew she couldn't hold back but he stood in place. "Its not that, Mulder...I rarely get to see my family and I see you every day...", she said, turning back to him.

"Scully, I...had it all planned out...", he said, shaking his head. He turned from her and tossed the tickets on his desk.

"Mulder!", she said quietly. "Maybe the next time", she said, looking down at the floor.

Mulder's eyes were trained on her. "Yeah...next time," he said, turning from her and kicking at his desk.

"Okay...", she sighed. ""I...ah...better go home to pack then...", she said, quickly grabbing up her stuff and flying out of the doorway.

When she reached the elevator, a larger brown hand pushed the button for her and she could feel Mulder standing right behind her, so close...almost too close. Her knees buckled slightly but Mulder caught her in his arms and she nearly passed out from the intensity in his touch but she pushed away from him and composed herself."You startled me...Mulder...", she muttered.

He nodded and when the elevator door opened she stepped onto it as Mulder stood in the doorway. She could see he was devastated as he stood in front of her, not saying a word.

"See you in a week?", she said, barely looking at him.

Mulder sighed. "Yeah, Scully...a week..."

Scully just stared at him until the elevator door closed. She pushed the button going up and breathed heavily as she stared at the basement button. She wanted to turn back and take him up on his offer, he looked so heartbroken but she needed to get away from him. She was too vulnerable and she knew it. When she reached her car, she hurriedly drove off to her apartment. She called her mom just as she tossed her keys on the table next to her front door. "Mom...I've got a few days off...I thought maybe I'd come up there..."

She listened to Maggie who was surprised. "You and Fox don't have plans?"

"No...Why would you think I would spend it with Mulder? Mom," she sighed. "He's my partner...I guess you'll never believe me..."

"No, Dana...I won't...", Maggie said with a smile. "When are you coming?"

"I was gonna take a shower and pack..."

Maggie could tell Dana was running from something. "Okay...Call me when you're on your way..."

"I will...", she said, hanging up.

Mulder picked up the phone in the office. He had a few things he needed to cancel. He had planned a romantic evening for two in New York for them, he was hoping this would be the time that they finally came to terms with their feelings. After cancelling his hotel suite and restaurant reservations, he plopped down in his chair and placed his head down on his arms. Skinner strolled in and tossed a file on his desk. "I thought you were taking the time off too? I figured it was something important if you requested you both be off at the same time...Scully sure looked surprised...Must have something big in mind..."

Mulder sat up shocked. "Sir? You know that Agent Scully and I are..."

"Save it, Mulder for someone that doesn't know you two pretty well...", he said as he glanced at the tickets, picking them up. "A Knicks game?"

Mulder rolled his eyes. "There yours, if you want them? The best seats money can buy...you'll be able to reach out and rub a few bald heads if you want too."

Skinner shook his head. "Where's she going?"

"Her mothers...", Mulder sighed.

Skinner tossed the tickets back at Mulder. "Go home Mulder...You look like you could use a stiff drink..."

"Great ideal...", Mulder said, snatching up the tickets. "See you in a week sir..."

Skinner stood at the doorway but then swung around. "You know...Men spend their entire lives trying to figure women out...", he sighed, crossing his arms. "I have a lot of regrets since my divorce with Sharon. My biggest regret is that I didn't try hard enough...", he said, looking Mulder in the eye. "See you in a week..."

Mulder stood there a moment and then gathered his things. His first stop would be home and shower, his second stop would be buying out the beer and liquor store on his way to the Gunmen's, he needed to sulk and try to get Scully off his mind, no matter how hard that was gonna be.

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