Hey guys! Here is the final chapter. I can't believe it's finally coming to an end! This was my very first X-Files fic, and you guys have definitely made me want to write more! :)


3 months later


Scully firmly held onto the steering wheel, stealing a look at Mulder every now and again. He was mildly staring out the window, observing the passing trees and street signs.

Scully sighed.

It had been 3 months since their rescue and it had been a rocky road, more emotionally than physically in a lot of ways. Mulder was mostly healed from his injuries, but the trauma was a whole different thing. Scully longed for the day when he stopped waking up in the night, screaming from the memories that tormented him.

It had tormented her too. Seeing him suffer and now dealing with the aftermath of everything he had endured. She did her best to help him heal, but she knew time would do it best.

She could feel his gaze on her now and she felt a smile tug at her lips. At the same moment, she felt his hand drag one of hers away from the steering wheel and hold it gently. They exchanged a affectionate glance before Scully was brought back to reality.

"Mulder, are you sure you want to do this?"

Mulder stared ahead into the road. "No. Not completely. But I think I have to. I think it'll help me conquer this."

"That's entirely possible, but what if it sends you off the deep end? Maybe it's too soon. Maybe...you're not strong enough."

She glanced nervously at him, unsure if she had said the right thing.

"No, I have you." He looked at her affectionately. "You're all I need to get through this."

Scully sighed but couldn't help but smile. Such the romantic.

They continued driving until they came upon a very familiar gas station, which had long been abandoned. Scully drove past it; that wasn't their destination.

"Hey!" Mulder said in mock protest. "Don't you wanna stop and get some snacks for the road."

Scully gave Mulder one of her disapproving looks and was met by his lopsided smile.

They drove on and Scully could feel butterflies in her stomach now. They were getting close.

Then she saw it, that familiar tree that held so many memories. That served as a starting point for everything they had been through together. She couldn't help but gasp when she looked beyond the tree and saw the town as clear as day off in the distance.

After all of the townspeople had died, whatever curse or spell that was on the town had been lifted and it had been restored to natural order. The F.B.I. had promptly searched the town for remaining people and had found all of the children hiding in a basement in one of the house. The children had been taken by child protection services and would be placed in foster homes. Meanwhile, the town now sat desolate and empty. A vacant shell of what it once was; the evil that had resided there and had taken place was now gone.

Scully drove the car past the tree, down through the grassy meadow, the all to familiar forest to their right, and parked the car by the burned out bonfire in the center of the town.

She turned the ignition off and looked at Mulder, he looked calm, but Scully knew he was trying to gather the strength to face what was before him.

Softly, she asked, "Are you ready?"

He nodded and released his grip on her hand, stepping out of the car and into the warm, sunny air. A breeze lightly picked up his hair and he felt the air flow between his fingers. It felt so natural and normal, it was almost hard to believe that 3 months ago this was where he thought he would eventually die.

He could feel Scully's presence nearby, but could tell she was giving him space. He appreciated it. Scully always seemed to be able to read him.

Slowly, he walked around the bonfire, looking at the houses, until he reached the cage he had been kept in. He could still see his own dried blood on the dirt, it was a bitter reminder, but he knew the worst was still to come.

Tearing his eyes away from the cage, he saw the barn. He froze. This was the part he had been the most fearful to face.

As if on queue, he felt Scully's soft hand in his. He looked down at her face and felt a warmth spread inside him. Squeezing her hand he walked forward, using his one free hand to open the barn doors. Sunlight raced into the barn and shed it's light on the contents inside. Mulder felt his throat tighten as the memories of the torture he had endured in this barn flooded his mind. Again, he was struck frozen as he looked at the ropes hanging from the rafters. The dirty, and blood stained wood floor beneath him. The whip on the floor, covered in his own blood. For a moment, in almost became too much. But then Mulder remembered other memories. Memories of he and Scully in her room. Scully's gentle touch as she worked to fix his broken body. Of them together in her bed, watching the moonlight caress her face as she slept. Beautiful moments that had come from the most horrible moments of his life. All at once, he felt his heart lighten and the heaviness that had been suffocating him seemed to lift away. Everything was going to be fine.

"C'mon," Mulder smiled at Scully as he pulled her away from the barn. "Let's get out of here."

"Mulder..." Scully started, not bothering to hide her concern. "Are you okay?"

Mulder smiled again. "No. But I will be." He turned to face her and grabbed her other hand. "What I went through, what we went through, was horrible, but it's over now. I just want to leave all this behind and just focus on us. Just focus on the good that has come of this."

Scully smiled at Mulder as he pulled her away from the town and towards the car.

"So, what now?"

They both got into the car and Scully turned the ignition.

"There's still one more thing I need to see."

Scully raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I wanna see what you carved on that tree."

Mulder laughed when he saw Scully blush.

"Oh, I mean...it's really nothing..."

"No, no," Mulder interrupted, "that's the final step in this whole 'facing my fears' adventure."

Scully sighed in resignation as he she drove the car up to the tree. She watched Mulder get out before she decided to join him.

Mulder walked up to the tree and observed it for a split second before a huge grin spread across his face. He was satisfied to see Scully blushing again.

On the tree, was carved a large arrow pointing upwards. Beneath the arrow was a giant heart with S + M, carved in the middle.

Mulder stared at Scully, still grinning stupidly.

"What?" Scully spat out, now impatient. "It was the best thing I could think of!"

Mulder laughed pulling Scully into a bear hug.

"It's perfect." He pulled her away, gazing into her eyes. "Just what I had expected."

Scully responded by pulling his mouth closer to hers, suddenly overcome by a fierce desire. Mulder obliged and closed his eyes as their lips locked. They both felt weightless. As if sharing this kiss by the tree that held so much symbolism for what they'd been through, canceled out all of the terrible things that'd happened. Those memories would always be there, but now they were written over. Those memories would be drowned out by the love that they now shared together. They finally felt whole again. They finally felt free.