After twisting my arm here is another chapter but that's really all for this story. :-D Enjoy!
'AHHHH!' Scully was pinned to the floor and nothing could be worse than the pain she felt that very moment, she could feel her heart beating in the hands of a mad-man.
'Please…please…nooooo….' She was panting for air, she couldn't breathe, and her life had never felt as significant as it did this very moment as she felt the hand tug at her heart. Bloody, messy and excruciating. Looking down, she saw her heart, beating in a bloody hand, looking up to face her attacker she saw Mulder, his face showing fear and confusion as he held her still beating heart in his hand, clutching it with all his might until it might explode. Tears streaming down his face, apologetic and worried, she stared wide eyed in terror as he brought her heart to his mouth as to drink the blood pouring out of it…
…"Scully, Scully….wake up…SCULLY…." Mulder was trying his hardest to wake his sleeping partner. She was obviously having a nightmare. Scully had been panting and screaming in her sleep, Mulder swore he heard his neighbors pounding on the floor, ceiling and walls. He had to wake her, she was crying and panicked and he didn't really know what to do. Scully had told him the dangers of waking someone in the middle of a nightmare; one or both parties could end up hurt. Though he was so worried about her he had to try.
"Come on….Scully, come back to me…" he tried to rub her back, she had fallen asleep in the fetal position and stayed that way most of the night. It was an obvious comfort position, her way of hiding herself from all the evil through work and life. Mulder wanted nothing more than to wrap his body more tightly around her. He felt her breathing slow and her screams had dissipated, her eyelids fluttered and he saw they were still filled with tears; she was sweaty from the activeness her nightmare had caused her. He soothed her by rubbing her back more, getting her to calm down as she awoke.
"Hey….you ok…?" he asked her, careful not to scare her any more than she already was.
"Yeah—yeah I'm fine." Scully was always 'fine.' Rolling his eyes at her comment he offered further comfort for her.
"You wanna talk about it?" Mulder was really worried about her and thought that him being there would be enough to comfort her. Her ordeal must've really struck a nerve, he had not seen her completely vulnerable since her savage encounter with Donnie Pfaster and that was years ago it seemed, he was scared for her then and scared for her now. It took a lot to unnerve Dana Scully, she always seemed to have no weakness but there were a few things that got to her and this happened to be one of them.
Scully shook her head and turned around in Mulder's arms, burying her face into his chest she cried. Her dream had caused her to think about her feelings for Mulder more. Why would he take my heart? Let alone taste it? I know he is concerned but this is too much.
"I should go…" she stammered out quietly. She didn't know why she wanted to leave him so bad but she really felt the need to leave him, get into her own environment and gather herself. Rolling back to her other side Scully went to retreat the bed but Mulder wouldn't let her go, his arm tight around her waist.
"Mulder, please let me go…" she pleaded with him.
"Dammit, Scully, why do you have to do this? Why do you have to pretend to be so strong? I can see you are disturbed by this, why can't you let me comfort you? You can tell me it's wrong, that we shouldn't be doing this but—dammit Scully we've played this game for so long! I love you, is that ok? I want to comfort you, I told you once that you made me a whole person and there is no way I can deny that now. Being able to be here for you when you truly need it and you just push me away…" he let go of her, anger welled within his heart.
"Mulder—" she was trying her hardest to make him understand. She stilled her retreat not sure how to respond to him in the least.
"Just go, if that's what you want." He was mad and confused, his heart ached for her and wanted to be her shoulder but she always seemed to push him away.
Scully swiftly got out of the bed and made her way to the bathroom slamming the door; Mulder swore she had begun to cry again. Getting out of bed he made his way to the bathroom door and listened…she sobbed. God I'm an asshole. I know her, I know this is how she is why should I be surprised that she pushes me away.
Scully was crying hard and uncontrollably, she was grateful she had locked the door. She knew Mulder would try to come to her rescue again. She sensed him standing outside the door and banged on it loudly with her fist, hopefully giving him the hint to go away.
They kept their space for a good 20 minutes, not talking, not even seeing each other, both obviously needing the space. Mulder was out on his couch, no TV, contemplating in silence, how can I be so insensitive when she is hurt so badly? Scully was more frightened than anything else, she knew her and Mulder's relationship would get to this point but she wasn't prepared for it, it would complicate things, it'd be suspicious enough her staying at his house the entire night. Gazing into the mirror, her eyes swollen from crying her face and neck freckled from the hysteria of her nightmare, she looked absolutely terrible, if Mulder can tell me he loves me when I look this terrible that must mean something. Debating for a moment on how to move forward, Scully emerged from the bathroom and padded her way through the bedroom and into the living room, Mulder was sitting in his spot on the couch, arms behind him, in deep thought.
"Mulder…?" he turned his gaze towards her as she spoke, "I really don't know where to go from here—I—what really caught me off guard was the fact that I was in your bed with your arms wrapped around me…" she was honest, it was a strange feeling, having him touch her in that way, intimate but not wanting, just safe. "I was scared at where we are going…I'm not prepared for all that right now… you know now that I do reciprocate your feelings of love..." she made her way to the couch and sat very close to him, grabbing for his hand she was honest and true in her heart. "I'm just not quite ready for all that yet ok?...there are a few things I need to get figured out about myself first." Her infertility still plagued her wandering mind, the need for a companion, what her colleagues would think…her mother.
Leaning in, once again gaining his trust, Scully brought her lips to his and she kissed him with such tenderness, it took Mulder a minute to realize that he should kiss back a bit. Softly caressing her lips with his own, he was the first to pull back.
"That was a promise ok?" she looked deep into him, he knew by her look that she would be back for him in this way. They would be able to make this work but she had to figure some things out first. "I'll stay for the night but watch your wandering hands, Mulder." She teased him lightly and he grinned.
"I'll sleep out here… you can have the bed." He still insisted, he was so used to sleeping on his couch he almost couldn't sleep comfortably in his bed and with someone else there, the last thing he wanted to do was sleep. Giving her hand a comforting squeeze he kissed her cheek and bid her goodnight. Smiling at him she sauntered off into the bedroom, alone again, Dana…why can't you just let it happen…
Lying in the bed Scully could hear Mulder snoring quietly, probably because he's elevated funny, the doctor always came out in her when she thought about these things. It was a slight comfort to her, why she ever really gave up her career in medicine she would never know. Maybe it was fate after all, her meeting Mulder, them getting close, it's all biological.
Waking with a start several hours later, eyeballing the clock in Mulder's bedroom it read 10am. Leaping out of bed and to the bathroom, gathering herself and making her way out to the living room, she was greeted by Mulder holding out a cup of coffee.
"Scully, I'm sorry I didn't wake you and I guess I should have warned you but I took the liberty of calling Skinner and explaining that we wouldn't be at work today. I figured you could use the rest and he completely understood….and agreed."
"Mulder! I'm fine!" she exclaimed through clenched teeth. "I can't believe you didn't wake me earlier." She was upset and panicked.
"Here…" handing her the cup of coffee, the apartment smelled of coffee and food and she was very suspicious all the sudden. "I made breakfast too." She raised her eyebrow at him, questioning his motives. Calming herself she obliged him and followed him to the table where he had laid out eggs, bacon and of course considering whom he was dining with, some yogurt with some fresh fruit.
"You went shopping I see…" she laughed a little bit.
"Yeah well, I didn't want you to starve, I'd feel like a terrible host!" he was sincere and slightly sarcastic in his comments.
"Well, thanks I guess. But I still think I could have made it to work today." She explained quietly to him while picking apart a strip of bacon.
"I just didn't want you to worry. Scully whatever happened to you was terrifying and I didn't want you to pretend to be strong when you want nothing more than to relax and have the thoughts and memories blow over."
They were silent for several minutes, Scully trying to absorb it all not sure what Mulder was thinking in making her breakfast and calling in sick to work for the both of them. She pondered his actions wondering what he expected her to do all day, stay with him or go home.
"So what's on the agenda then?" she inquired.
"I dunno, I'd assume you'd want to go home and get showered and changed…look Scully I'm not insisting you stay here with me, I just figured you'd want some time to sort yourself out."
Finishing up breakfast and Scully helping Mulder clean up the few dishes they had made. Silence was golden right? It was already feeling awkward and nothing had even happened between them. Each of their minds was working in over time figuring out how all this ever transpired. Scully leaned against the counter watching Mulder dry the last of the dishes and put them away. Catching her gaze out of the corner of his eye he looked at her and grinned, she had a smirk across her face and was oblivious to the fact. Shaking herself out of a daze and walking over to Mulder she embraced him almost intimately and he embraced her as well, wrapping his long arms around her tiny body.
"Thank you so much, for everything…" she whispered into his neck and shoulder area. She didn't want to let him go, she loved the way he smelled, the way he cared for her and took care of her in a time of need. Mulder hated withdrawing from the embrace but felt it necessary, especially for them to hold out for a better time. Walking her to the door and helping her with her coat, his hand drifted to her lower back as it often did when out together on cases, Scully turned and looked at him in a silent 'thank you again.' Stretching up to him she planted a simple and promising kiss on his lips, turned and made her way out the door. Shutting the door behind his partner Mulder felt hurt letting her go but at the same time understood that she needed to sort things out for herself. Our time will come, Scully. I promise you that.
