Reconciliation
"Bless me father for I have sinned. It's my partner. The last time I spoke to him we had a fight. I don't know what to do. What if he dies? What if he dies and the last words we spoke were in anger?"
Chapter One
Mulder was sat at his desk waiting for Scully to return. He looked at his watch. It was almost 8.30pm. She was very late. He opened the top drawer and pulled out his bundle of yellow pencils tied up with a rubber band. As he began to line them up perfectly along his desk, his cell phone rang. Mulder picked it up from the desk. Scully's voice sounded from the earpiece.
"Mulder, it's me. Sorry I didn't come back. I'm at Casey's Bar. Wanna join me? I was nearby and I thought we could discuss my findings over a drink." Mulder was pleased to hear that she didn't sound drunk.
"But, you told me to meet you here! Alright, why not… I could do with a drink. I'll be right there, Scully."
Fifteen minutes later he walked into the bar and scanned the crowd for a glimpse of her Titian hair. He spotted her at the bar and made his way through the crowd. "Hey." He sat down next to her. "Tequila, please." He said to the barman. "And whatever you're having." He looked at Scully, who ordered a glass of red wine.
"So what did you find?"
"I found the details that you said I would. It seems that he's made his way to Cuba."
While they discussed the case and the new details Scully had found, they drank their drinks and both began to feel the alcohol slightly.
"Well, let's book a flight to Cuba!"
"Whoa, hold your horses Mulder! We have the facts we need here. We don't need to go there… It's safer here."
"Oh…okay." Mulder was slightly disappointed, swirling the last drop of liquid in the bottom of his glass. "Er, another drink Scully?"
After three more tequilas, Mulder put his head down on the bar.
"What's the matter, Mulder?" Scully asked, smiling slightly as she looked at him from over the rim of her second glass of wine.
"Well," Mulder began slurring only slightly, "the last time I was this drunk I told the barmaid about how bad my life was."
"What did you tell her?" Scully asked. Mulder searched his memories and remembered his exact words.
"I'm an annoyance to my superiors and a joke to my peers. They call me Spooky Mulder, whose sister was abducted by aliens when he was just a kid and who now chases after little green men with a badge and a gun…" He trailed off and Scully was filled with compassion.
"Come on Mulder. Let's get you home." She smiled, took his arm and helped him into a cab outside, then up to his apartment.
At his apartment, Mulder fumbled with the keys and eventually they were able to get inside. Mulder seemed drunk, his hair messy, his face flushed, but yet his eyes showed seriousness and sobriety. When he spoke Scully could detect no intoxication in his words.
"I'm so sorry Scully. I try to protect you but I can't, really. I've put your life in danger so many times, and now I'm afraid I might be doing it again."
"It's not your fault, Mulder. I know you never do it on purpose!" Scully attempted to lighten the seriousness of the conversation, but Mulder still continued to blame himself.
"Everything is my fault. I have spoilt your life, and it's because of me that you don't have the social life or relationships you keep wanting."
"Mulder, that's my own fault not yours. How can you blame yourself for my silly problems? Anyway, they don't matter! What matters is us. Me and you; our relationship." Scully reached out for his hand. "Don't you agree, Mulder? Besides I do have a social life, look! We just spent two hours in a bar, socialising!"
"I meant you socialising with other people; other men." He added with a slight hiccup as she grinned and laughed.
"What other men, Mulder? Come on, let's socialise!"
She went over to the CD player. "Beyond the Sea" began to echo around the room. Finally, Mulder smiled, as Scully sat down on the couch.
"I have a better idea…" Mulder suggested and walked over to her, offering his hand. She took it and he pulled her into his arms and they danced together, swaying in time to the music, huge grins playing on both their faces.
Scully looked at their joined hands. She smiled and looked back up at Mulder. He was watching her with an intense look in his eyes. She noticed that his hazel eyes were darker than usual, their colour deep and intense, and she removed her hand from his and placed it on his cheek.
For the first time they successfully allowed the barriers to fall completely. Scully put her hand around the back of his neck, directing his lips down to hers. Mulder kissed her softly while he held her face in both hands, stroking her now flushed cheeks with his thumbs, and she returned the kiss they had both put off for so long. Scully could taste the tequila on Mulder's breath but it was the kiss, not the alcohol, which was intoxicating. They parted and leant their foreheads together, breathing deeply, both smiling. Mulder looked down at Scully, who wrapped her arms around his middle and leant against him, while he stroked her hair. His hand moved to the collar of her shirt and touched the nape of her neck.
"No bees this time!" He muttered into her ear. She smiled and kissed the spot above his heart through the dark grey material of his sweater, before looking up again and kissing him tenderly on the lips.
Author's Note: What do you think? Please let me know! It's much appreciated!
Chapter 2 on the way ASAP!
