This chapter has a bit more fluff in it. I decided they needed it after all they have been through. Taking a piece of one of my many favorite episodes "small potatoes", I hope Chris Carter and Fox won't mind. Please review! It makes my day! Hope you enjoy!

Scully could't even tell you the route Mulder took to drive her home. She was just so unsure of everything right now. It felt good knowing that this wasn't an exact match to her but still… Her thoughts trailed off. Mulder pulled up in front of her apartment.

"Are you going to be ok tonight, Scully?" Mulder looked so worn out himself. She knew he was internalizing all of her grief and anguish.

"Yeah, Mulder, I'll be fine," She said this turing to face him in the car. "I just wanted to thank you for everything. It's good to know I have your support."

He gave her a small, sad smile. "Scully, you never have to thank me for being there for you. I'm always here for you, please know that," he reached over and grabbed her hand. They both sat there for a minuet, neither one of them wanting the other to go. He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers. He held her hand there for a moment.

Not knowing what else to say Scully said, "Good night, Mulder." She stepped out of the car and walked up to her building's entrance. She could feel him watching her go inside, making sure she was safe.

Scully reached the inside of her apartment. It felt good to be home. She needed to put this behind her for the moment. Needing to feeling somewhat normal. It was still early on a Friday evening. 'Thank God for small favors,' she thought. At least she wasn't expected back into work until Monday morning. She would have the weekend to try and wrap her head around everything that has happened.

She took a long shower and got dressed. She walked around her apartment, tidying up just a bit, not sure what to do with herself. Deciding to watch some television, she sat on the couch and had an old movie playing in the back round when her phone rang. "Hello."

"Hey, Scully, its Mulder. Hope you didn't miss me too much." At the same time he was speaking she could hear a knock at her door and an echo of it through the phone.

"Are you here Mulder?" she asked while making her way to the door. When she opened it she saw Mulder standing there with a box of pizza, two bags hanging from his wrists and holding the phone to his ear.

"I figured you might be hungry and knowing you, you would be too burnt out to realize." Lifting up his arm with the bags hanging from it he said, "Wasn't sure if you preferred beer or wine tonight so I got both."

They both stood in her doorway smiling at each other. "What are you doing here Mulder?"

"Well, I thought it being Friday night and we both have had a long week, maybe you wouldn't mind spending some time together outside of work." Mulder felt so unsure of himself. He had worked himself up so much telling himself what a great idea this would be but now he was here and she was just staring at him, not even letting him in. "I'm sorry Scully, I didn't mean to be presumptuous. Maybe another time though."

He started walking down the hallway toward the exit. Scully felt like such a fool. Lord she needed practice in her social skills. "Wait! Mulder, come back." He turned around. She giggled and said, "I'm starving! Please bring that pizza back." She stood back and held the door open for him. He willing obliged.

Scully got plates, napkins and glasses for them. They took the food into her living room in front of her television. "Watching anything good, Scully?" Mulder asked pulling a slice out of a the box and onto his plate.

Scully hadn't realized how hungry she was and now how grateful she was to have Mulder here.

"Not even sure what's on," She said while taking her first bite into a slice. They sat next to each other drinking the beer and eating their pizza. When they finally finished Scully cleared the mess they had made and came back into the living room with the bottle of wine Mulder bought and two wine glasses. She poured them each a glass and raised a toast to him.

"To the best Friday night I've had in a long time." They clinked glasses.

"Same here, Dana," Mulder said smiling at his partner. Scully paused for a second at the sound of her first name coming from his mouth. She recollected herself and took a sip of the wine.

"Umm, this is good Mulder." Scully took another sip. "So whats really going on Mulder?"

"I just didn't want you to be alone tonight. I know I don't say this much Scully but I think you already know how much I care about you. You mean everything to me and I don't want you to go through this alone." Mulder sat there staring at her waiting for her response. Hoping she wouldn't freak out about how strong she is and doesn't need anyone.

"Thank you," she was smiling, looking down into her now almost empty glass of wine.

Mulder reach to the table and took the bottle of wine and refilled both of their glasses. "There was also some stuff I wanted to talk to you about."

"Ok." Scully was nervous but excited. She hoped this would be the conversation about the tension that had obviously been building between them.

"After I dropped you off I called the bureau, I had them put out an alert to every possible tattoo parlor throughout the country, looking for any person coming in for a tattoo on their right shoulder, specifically to cover up a scar." Mulder took another sip of his wine. "I also sent a copy of the autopsy reports over to the Gunmen to see if there's anything new they could find."

"You mean, to see if there was anything I missed." Scully wasn't even upset that he sent them. Hell, she was actually thinking of doing the same tomorrow. This just wasn't the direction she was hoping the conversation might lead. "Im sorry Mulder, I didn't mean that."

Mulder sat in stunned silence. "I didn't mean to offend you Scully. You know I don't doubt your work or your skills. It's just always good to have a fresh pair of eyes when you feel your back against the wall."

Mulder moved closer to her on the couch. He put his glass back on the coffee table and relieved Scully of hers as well.

"That's not the only thing I wanted to talk to you about." His heart was racing. He starting to feel a little light headed and knew it wasn't because of the beer or wine he had. For the second time that night he had Scully's hand in his own. "Dana, we've been working together for years now and although I spend more time with you then anyone else, we never really talk."

"True, Mulder we don't but it's not like our work allows us much time for anything other then, well, work." Scully was nervous. Strange how she could find herself feeling afraid of a conversation with a man she knew so well, so completely. When it came down to it, he was the closest person to her on this planet. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Us." He almost whispered. He was so nervous of her possible rejection he didn't really know how to start. "About my feelings for you." He look down at her hand entangled in his. "About how long I've been in love with you."

"Mulder, I.." She had a thousand thoughts running through her mind but she couldn't mange one word to form.

It felt like they had been sitting there for hours in silence. She hadn't said anything to his confession of his love for her but she hadn't pulled back either. He figured he went this far why stop now. He took his free hand and placed it on her check. She looked him in his eyes. He could see her eyes glistening with the threat of a tear spilling over. He was caressing her face with his thumb when one tear finally got the best of her and trickled down her face.

"I love you too Mulder, I have for so long. I just didn't know if you felt the same way." She could hardly breath now.

He pulled her in and kissed the fallen tear. Putting tiny kisses down the length of her face until he reached the corner of her mouth. He heard her breath quicken. She squeezed his hand a littler tighter giving him the sign it was ok to continue. He gently put his lips on hers and she responded. It was the sweetest of kisses either one of them had ever experienced. As their mouths parted the kiss became more greedy, more passionate. The world could have ended around them and neither one of them would care. The is exactly how they were supposed to be, together.

Mulder pulled back, ending the kiss. He didn't want to move to fast with her. After all these years of being in love with her, he didn't need to rush it now. Besides she had so much going on he was afraid to overwhelm her. "Are you ok, Dana?"

"Yes, perfectly fine," she chuckled. Their hands still interlocked.

"I love you." He planted a soft kiss on her cheek. Handing her wine glass back over to her and taking his own he said, "Why don't we enjoy the rest of this movie together."

Even though neither one of them had any idea what the movie was about, that sounded like the most perfect idea anyone could ever have. She cuddled up next to him, resting her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her soft read hair, putting his arm around her waist and smiled. He was going to make sure this would work.

The movie ended but neither one of them was awake to see it. They had both fallen asleep on the couch in each other's arms. It was the first peaceful sleep either one of them had had in days.

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Scully's mind was completely blank. She couldn't figure out what was going on. She remembered Mulder coming over with food and drinks, their talk, their kiss. She remembered resting comfortably in his arms. How good she felt. The happiest she felt in a very long time. But now she had no idea where she was. It was pitch black. She could barely see her hand in front of her face. Having no recollection of leaving her apartment or how the hell she got to wherever she was right now, was completely frightening. Taking in deep breaths, trying her best to stop the panic attack that she felt coming on, she closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. There had to be a reasonable explanation for what was happening.

'Ok, Dana, focus.' she thought to herself, 'your an FBI agent for Christ sake, you can handle this.' Her little pep talk to herself calmed her tremendously. After a minuet or two of standing still her eyes started to adjust to the darkness. She could tell she was inside some place. If felt like it was a large space. Focusing on her vision she could make out what looked like tables all around the room. Beds, maybe gurneys. Hard to tell exactly. Taking a step forward, the soft sound of her own foot fall made her jump. It was so quiet, it was deafening. She took another step.

Now she could make out bodies on the tables. As she moved around the room she could she tell they were all sleeping, unconscious maybe. Each one laying on their stomachs completely naked except for a small sheet covering their lower halves. They all had some type of device hooked to the back of their necks. This device was connected to a type of computer monitor. It seemed to be taking readings of some sort.

Moving around from table to table, body to body, she spotting a woman with read hair. Slowly making her way closer and closer she finally reached the woman. She knelt down to take a look at her face and when she did, she saw herself laying there, eyes closed.

That's when she lost it and started to scream.