Hi everyone, thanks to everyone who read the last bit! Did I lose you guys, there were no reviews lol. Just let me know if you don't like it/want it changed or anything and I will do it :) Anyway, I hope this part is better, and thanks again for taking the time to read!

A week passed incredibly slowly for Scully. She found herself missing Mulder at the most bizarre times of day, or found herself instinctively reaching for the phone to tell him something that she just found out or ask him something about the case. She sighed, running her hands over her face as she told herself that she was not going mad, and that it was natural that she would miss him.

She sat at her computer at home, willing herself to do some more work. The quicker she got to the bottom of this the sooner Mulder could come back. Yet the doctor part of her told her that she needed rest after having only a couple of hours sleep all week in an effort to get more done. A glass of wine sat at the side of her as she told herself that she would check her email to have a break and then would get right back on it.

Clicking the relevant icon, Scully waited impassively for it to load. Glancing down the list of names, she deleted half of the mail without reading it, and ignored the rest of it. But one name stood out, even though it was one that she didn't recognise. The person only let their initials be seen, IWTB, but somehow it was such a Mulder thing that she paused at it for a moment, deciding to open it just in case and assuring herself that she was mad at the same time.

The instant she read the opening line, she knew that her prayers had been answered and that it was from Mulder. It read:

D.S.

I'm going mad out here already, I have to see you. Route 64, eating place that makes you think of me. Meet there at our usual time at the start of the week.

S.M.

Scully felt a tear slip down her cheek as she felt exactly the same. Her heart rose in hope that she would be seeing him the following day, seeing as today was Sunday. At six o clock in the evening, because that was the time Mulder appeared at her apartment when he was bored. She hit the reply button.

I have got your message. I feel exactly the same. I'll be there.

D.S.

Looking at her watch, Scully knew that there was no chance that she would sleep that night when she was seeing Mulder finally the following day. Grinning, she turned her attention back to the case in front of her, her enthusiasm rising again now that she had something to look forward to. Plus, she wanted to have something to give Mulder to keep his spirits up when she saw him.

*

The time finally came for Scully to set off. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she drove down the given road, reminding herself sternly to stop behaving like a silly schoolgirl, and that it was Mulder who she was going to see. She kept a careful look out on the road for any sign of a place that could be what Mulder was directing her to, but saw none on the deserted road in the middle of nowhere.

Eventually, she came across a grotty little building. Pulling off the road, she walked quickly up to the door, locking the car with her key over her shoulder. Looking all around, she stopped in her tracks with a smile, knowing that she had the right place. There on the door was a picture of a fox, with the name Hunter's Diner over the top.

She pushed open the grimy door and scanned the room quickly. Her heart rose and quickened as she saw his form hunched over a table in the very corner, playing with a beer mat as he sipped at his coffee nonchalantly. Grinning like a child, she rushed over to his table, touching his shoulder affectionately as she slid into the chair opposite. A smile lit his face the moment he saw her, the weary and sad look vanishing.

"Hey," he murmured, reaching across the table to hold her hand gently in his.

"Hey," she replied, nodded to the waitress who had shouted over to ask if she wanted some coffee. "How have you been?"

Mulder shrugged, looking down into his half empty cup. "You know, I've been fine. I just miss you." Scully looked affectionately back at him. "How about you? You don't look so good."

Mulder frowned slightly as he took in the dark circles around her eyes, and the unhealthy colour to the skin on her face. She smiled reassuringly back at him.

"I'm fine, Mulder. I've just been working a lot, trying to find a way to get you home. I miss you just as much. I'm just glad that you're safe." She touched his cheek gently, before dropping her hand back to the table as the waitress came to pour out her coffee.

Mulder was happy to just sit and watch her as she launched into a huge ramble about everything that they had found out so far on the case. He smiled and nodded in the right places, taking in every movement of her hands and face as she described it to him. There was passion in her statements, and he realised how hard she had to make sure that he got back as soon as possible. She grinned in places as she dropped out amusing stories about Skinner or the Gunmen, and he smiled happily back at her. Eventually she stopped talking, smiling shyly at him as she noticed that he was staring at her.

"What about you, Mulder?" she asked, love radiating from her gaze as it was her turn to drink in the man that she loved as he thought up any funny stories that he could tell her. He didn't want her to know how much he was suffering by being so isolated.

Scully was surprised when she noticed that it had become dark outside, and looking across at Mulder she knew that he had followed her train of thought. He sighed sadly, looking down at his long empty cup as he pulled out his wallet.

"Somehow, it seemed like if I just didn't think about it, we could just sit here together forever."

Scully nodded sadly, but looked up with a smile that didn't reach to her eyes. "But who would solve the case and get you home in that case?" she asked, watching as he smiled back at her.

He dropped a twenty on the table, and stood up, watching as Scully pulled her coat tightly around her to keep out the cold and made her way slowly to the door.

"Come on, Scully, I'll walk you out," Mulder muttered, his hand finding its way to the familiar spot on her lower back. She relaxed into his touch, feeling her heart melt to be around him again, and finding it even harder to have to leave.

They soon reached the car, and Scully hugged Mulder to her tightly, kissing him passionately as she had been wanting to do from the first moment that she saw him. He wrapped his arms around her, breaking the kiss to nuzzle into her neck, making her laugh.

"Meet me next week, Scully," he said, looking into her eyes. She blushed at the intensity of his gaze, but refused to look away.

"I'm not sure I can, Mulder." She sighed, running her hand through her hair. "I don't want to jeopardise your safety, and each time I see you it gets harder to leave."

"Please, Scully. I don't think I can survive this if I can't see you at all. It's killing me."

She opened her mouth to reason with him further, before closing it again when she saw the desperate look on his face. Reaching up, she caressed his cheek gently in her small hand, smiling when he turned his head to kiss the palm.

"Same time and place then, Mulder. We just have to be careful that nobody sees us."

He grinned, like a kid on Christmas morning, and held open the car door that Scully had just reached down to open. "I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking," he said happily as he watched her clip in her seat belt and start the car. She smiled up at him.

"Take care of yourself!" she added, smiling as he leaned in for a quick kiss before gently shutting the door for her.

"I always do!" he quipped, standing in the car park of the diner until Scully drove off, waving happily back at her as her hand appeared out of the window. He stood watching her until the car was out of sight, his heart feeling lighter than it had for a long time.

*

Scully let out the laugh that Mulder had come to love and yet hardly ever heard. He laughed along with her, sipping from the giant milkshake that sat between them. She had sat on the same side of the table as him this time, his arm comfortably around her shoulder and her head resting near his neck for the most part unless they were talking or drinking. The week had gone so slowly, but somehow it was bearable when he knew that he had something to look forward to.

Noticing that Mulder was lost in his thoughts again, Scully took a bit of milkshake on her finger and playfully dabbed it on the end of his nose. He jumped, grinning as he realised this meant war.

"No, Mulder!" Scully shrieked, trying to move away. She wasn't quick enough, and let out a shriek as Mulder pasted milkshake on her cheeks and over her nose. Eventually, he blobbed some on her lips, leaning down to kiss it off in a long slow kiss.

Scully sighed, and relaxed against him as he kissed her. It had been the best afternoon that she had had in a long time, but she was aware that the darkness was starting to come again, and she had to leave soon. Looking up, she caught Mulder looking at her sadly, easily following her train of thought even though she said nothing about it. She sighed and rubbed her face wearily.

"Come on, Scully, I'll walk you to the car," Mulder offered, standing in the booth and waiting for Scully to move before him.

Grabbing her coat, Scully thanked the waitress before heading out of the diner in front of Mulder. She walked slower and slower as they got nearer the car, revelling in the fact that she had Mulder's arm firmly around her shoulder and that she could feel the heat from his body radiating into her own.

Mulder looked down at the top of her head and felt his own heart aching along with hers. He hoped that she knew that he felt the same, and that he had no wish for her to leave him there in the middle of nowhere, with only thoughts of her to last him through the week.

Like a gentleman, he held open Scully's car door for her to get in, and she passed him with a small smile that she obviously didn't mean. Walking away, Scully was surprised when she looked up to say goodbye that Mulder had gone.

"Mulder?" she asked, poking her head out of the still open door, wondering where he could have gone. She jumped as the passenger side of her car opened and closed with a bang, and turned to see the mischievous grin on her partner's face. "Mulder, what the hell are you doing?"

Mulder sighed. "Taking some more time with the woman I love," he said simply, watching her face and seeing her melt slightly at his words before the hard look came back.

"You can't come with me, Mulder. You know that."

There was a kind of pleading in her voice as she fought with herself against wanting him to stay with her and knowing that he would only be safe he if stayed there. He smiled, the mischievous look coming back again.

"Who said that I was coming with you?"

Scully faltered, looking at him in pure confusion as he continued to grin at her.

"Mulder...I don't understand."

"Well, put it this way Scully. Nobody knows you're here, we're perfectly safe right now, and I think it's about time you saw my bachelor pad. Don't you think?"

Scully looked uncomfortable for a moment as she considered the possible dangers that she was putting them both in. Eventually, the smile spread over her own face as she realised that Mulder was right, and there was probably no danger in driving him back to his house.

"Besides," he continued, "it's cruel to let a man walk home when you have the car!"

Scully shook her head, grinning across at him as she started the ignition, slowly moving the car out of the dusty car park and in the opposite direction to normal, the happy feeling spreading through her as she realised that she had more time with him.

*

Scully laughed heartily as Mulder pulled her into the bright and sunny apartment. He grinned down at her as he wrapped his arms firmly around her, pulling her even closer to him.

"You make me feel better just by laughing like that, Scully," he whispered, and as she searched his face Scully was pleased to see that he looked happier, the healthy glint back in his eyes again and colour back in his cheeks. She suspected that she looked exactly the same.

"I'm happy just to be around you," she replied, blushing slightly as she dropped her eyes from his gaze.

Looking up again, Scully wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down so that he was on her level. Leaning forwards, she kissed him passionately, running her fingers through the hair at the top of his neck and causing him to moan slightly. He ran his hands down her sides, his mind lost in the moment of being back with his Scully.

Pulling away after a while, Scully, grinned up at him, breathless still from the intensity of the kiss. She traced his lips gently with her fingers, watching as he kissed each finger individually as it glanced over.

"I've waited so long to do that," she murmured, causing Mulder to groan and pull her into a tight hug again. "So, what did you have planned for the evening, now that you're lured me to your lair?"

Mulder chuckled at the dig, loosening his hold so that he could brush her hair from her face. He was overwhelmed by the tender look of love and pure trust that she was showing him, all hardness gone from her expression now.

"I have a few ideas," he quipped with a wink, picking her up and kissing away the shriek that she gave at the unexpected movement. Slowly, he made his way to his bedroom, careful not to hit anything on the way. Placing Scully gently down on the bed, he smiled lovingly at her as he moved back to close the door behind him.