Alright, I decided to do one more chapter. I was going to leave it, but then Starxphiler54 had brought a great idea to light. So, without further a do, I hope you all enjoy my attempt at one more chapter. I hope it doesn't kill the story, or make it seem as if I am dragging it out. Please let me know what you all think. It was a fun story and I loved writing it. Much Love! Also, please ignore any grammatical errors. I do my best editing after I have submitted the story. Ha.
Mulder and I made our way back to my mom's house, planning to stay an extra night. I was thrilled, and Mulder was giddy. "Oh, man, Bill is going to be so mad at me," Mulder exclaims. I hadn't really thought of that. Bill obviously was excited for my little coffee date. I know he had high hopes for Marcus, but I wasn't having any of it. "Yes, he will be. I wasn't really looking forward to a new partner, but now I see that I have no choice. That's all right, I can whip him into shape in no time." I look over, and Mulder looks sick. "Calm down, Mulder, my mom isn't going to let anything happen to you!"
"Scully, your mom stands at about five foot, three inches. Bill has about ten inches and a hundred pounds on her. I don't think she is going to be able to help me out here," Mulder scoffs.
"Yes, but you underestimate my mother's powers, sometimes even mine. My brother was brought up to respect women, especially my mother. He isn't going to do anything to question her authority. Trust me, partner." He nods his head, no doubt scared, but trusting me nonetheless.
We pull up to my mother's house. I am anxious. I can't wait to rub my news in Bill's face. Mulder looks like he would rather stay in the car and die of a heat stroke. "Come on, Mulder. It won't be as bad as you think, I promise. You can't hide forever. Plus, you're safer in the house."
"Alright, Scully, but you must have my back. No matter what happens, you're on my side," he asks, unsure. "Mulder, when haven't I been on your side. When haven't I had your back. Don't be ridiculous," I yell. He had some nerve. "Scully, this is your brother we are talking about. I have to know that you are going to stand by me, no matter what," he spouts out, sheepishly. "Mulder, he may be my brother, but you're my soul mate," I offer up, using his term of who we are to one another. I see this brings a huge smile out of him. Suddenly he looks confident and a bit egotistical.
"Alright, then, let's go deliver the bad news to Brother Bill." Somehow, I don't see this ending very well. "Don't do anything stupid, Mulder," I warn him.
We walk in the house, and everyone is in the kitchen playing Go Fish. I always hated that game. It was boring and childish. My brothers always cheated. Bill looks over and notices us. He puts down his cards and tells the kids to go watch TV. Everyone gathered around, wanting to witness mine and Bill's interaction. Everyone knew that I wasn't going to fall back in Marcus' arms, well almost everyone.
"Hey, Dana. How was coffee. Are you considering reconnecting with him?" He looked hopeful and I wanted to walk up and slap him in the face. He sure knew how to get to the point. "I wish I would have known that you two were chummy. It seems that you and Marcus have kept in touch." He was caught red-handed. He looked to be about twelve again. I watched Tara slap him on the arm. "Dana, it's not like that. We aren't buddies, but I run into him from time to time. He asked how you were, and I told him that you would be joining us this weekend, that maybe he should ask you for himself," he quickly explained, as if it would matter. I was already too pissed to care.
"I see. Well, I would have appreciated the warning, instead I was blindsided. If I wanted to be with him, I would have been more than capable of connecting with him myself. I don't need a book-keeper. Help me understand why you would do that anyway."
"Dana, I didn't mean any harm. I just worry that you are lonely. I want to see you happy," he says softly. "Bill, I have already made a life for myself. I have a stable career, a home that I love, and people who I care about. I can't just get up and leave when I want. If you talked to me, and not at me, you would know that I am already happy."
"Listen, I know you are happy with the way things are going, but you aren't getting any younger, Dana. You don't need to rebel any longer. We all know you are strong, independent, and brilliant. Why can't you just go back to being a doctor? Why do you have to run around, constantly putting your life in danger. It isn't healthy for any of us. Mom is always worrying, and I can't always allaying her fears. Help me understand, and I will drop this once and for all. I need an explanation."
The room went silent. The tension was thick, and the stakes were high. Do I tell him the real reason I am single. Would he really understand? I looked around the room. This is my family, and I know they would understand. Tara, Charlie, Mom, the kids, and even Charlie's wife, are behind me. The only person who wants a different path for me is Bill. I promised Mulder that I would back him up. I promised that I would stand by him. I decided I would go for the truth.
"You want the truth. I belong with the FBI. At first, I will admit, I saw it as a golden opportunity to rebel. Eventually, I grew to admire my job. I finally found a way to distinguish myself. It may not have been ideal, and I know I pissed you and dad off, but it's what I wanted. You'll just have to accept that."
I look over at my mom, "Mom, I am sorry that you worry about me, all the time, but I can't change that. I will never be able to promise you that I will be safe. But, you will have to accept that I am happy, and that I wouldn't change a day." She smiles back at me. I know she worries, but Bill was putting words in her mouth. She is happy as long as I am happy.
Everyone in the room knows I am about to reveal the truth to Bill. He is going to be dumbstruck. I reach over and grab Mulder's hand. Bill notices, but he tries to brush it off. "But, the real reason that I chose not to be with Marcus, or anyone else for that matter, is because I am Mulder's. We may not be the typical couple, or even a couple at all. We aren't respected by our colleagues, or taken seriously, but at least we have each other. I don't belong any where else. Mulder needs me, and I need him." I start to get choked up, so I stopped my little rant. It is time to listen to what Bill has to say. I wonder if he is really going to drop it.
"Let me get this straight. You are with Mulder. He's the reason you haven't started a family or gone out on a date in years? Why would you want someone like that? Is he really worth the wait? Tell me why you would wait for this sorry son of a bitch, because I've never seen him do one damn thing for you." I feel my anger rise.
"Bill, you need to settle down. I am sure Dana has her reasons. Let's just hear her out. You know she's the logical one. She's a big girl now," Charlie says to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Son, I suggest you listen to Charlie. You can only meddle for so long before you push her away," my mom tries to calm him.
I smile at my mom and younger brother. I needed to hear those things. It was really the extra push that I needed. I was going to express my feelings, something I am not familiar with, and I wasn't sure I was ready. After knowing my family was behind me, I knew this was it.
"Listen, Bill. You are wrong about Mulder. Mulder has always been there for me. He has been my constant, my touchstone. He has never betrayed me, and he has never given up on me. He's saved my life. When I had cancer, everyone was ready to let me die. Don't get me wrong, you guys were there for me. You all loved me, but not the way Mulder did. Mulder went and found a cure. You just thought he wasn't there, but he was. He didn't give up hope. You may have different opinions, and different beliefs, but he was the one who saved me." I look over at Mulder and lean into him, trying to seek comfort. He wraps his arm around me, laying a kiss on my head. "I owe Mulder my life. I would die for him. Do you think anyone else would save me the way Mulder has? Nobody can love me the way Mulder does. You only see what you want to see, Bill. You don't see the way he treats me."
I take a breath to regain my composer. Everyone in the room has grown silent and is completely tuned into me. I feel like the guest speaker at school, except people are paying attention. This little rant was making me feel good. I was loving the look on Bill's face. He crossed his arms and gestured for me to continue, though he wasn't too thrilled with the idea.
"You may not understand us, but nobody does. Our relationship is built on trust and respect. In fact, I don't know what he has even done to warrant your hatred. Mulder is the only man who has ever made me feel like I am independent. He has been the only man who hasn't made decisions for me, or made me feel like a child. I finally feel like an equal. And maybe, sometimes, he is a little over protective, but shouldn't you respect that. Isn't that something that you should admire in him. I know I do. The rest of the family loves Mulder, why can't you? Why would you like a scum-bag like Marcus and hate a respectful man like Mulder? I just can't grasp that concept. How would you feel if I couldn't accept Tara." I look at him, waiting for an answer.
"Can I talk to you in private," he asks me. Game changer. Now, this could go both ways. It could turn into a screaming match, resulting in me walking out of Bill's life until he apologized. Or, this could be the part where Bill listened to me, for once, and is now too ashamed to admit he is wrong, thus pulling me aside. I was hoping it was the latter.
He pulls me outside and closes the door. I cross my arms, preparing to defend myself and Mulder. "Relax, Dana. I am not going to fight with you. I pulled you out here so that we could actually talk." I uncrossed my arms and sat down on the sidewalk, while Bill took the steps.
"Listen, Dana. I know you love Mulder. I am sorry that I made him out to be such a bad guy. I know he isn't, but I have heard rumors about him. And when you started to work with him, I heard rumors about you." He looks at me, a tint of pink in his cheeks. Obviously he had heard about the office pool. The one where Mulder and I 'must' be sleeping together. I am sure the stakes were at least up to 200 dollars now.
"Bill, those are just rumors. I've heard them too. They aren't true. The only truth to them is our feelings. We love each other, Bill, but we haven't acted upon those feelings. We didn't even discuss those feelings until you scheduled a coffee date with my ex." He looks over me with wide eyes.
"Yeah, well, I haven't heard any thank you's," he teases. "Well, I will be sure to mention it at our wedding reception," I tease back at him. He took me seriously. "Dana, don't even talk like that."
"I don't understand. Were you or were you not just preaching that I am getting old, that I need to find a husband. Wasn't that what your whole speech was about?" I don't think I have ever been more confused in my life.
"I don't know what I was doing back there, Dana. I guess I just want the best for you. It never occurred to me that you like being alone. I forgot that you were always the independent one," he apologizes.
"I am not alone. In fact, I am far from alone. I spend more time with Mulder than I do myself. Loneliness is a choice, Bill. I wouldn't allow myself to be lonely. You'll just have to respect Mulder and accept that I am just as happy as you and Tara. I will be a lot happier, if you accept Mulder. I need you to at least try."
I hear him huff, but he finally speaks. "Dana, I will give him one chance. He has one chance. I promise you I will be as civil as possible. Besides, he can't be that bad of a guy, if you love him. I mean, you love me, and I am kind of an ass hole," he says smugly.
I could finally relax. Things were starting to come together. I have waited for this day my whole life. Bill was going to give Mulder a chance. I knew he would grow to love Mulder. I didn't have the heart to tell Bill that I only love him unconditionally. I mean, if he wasn't my brother, I would hate his guts.
"Hey, Dana, we could even break out Monopoly or Clue," he sounded excited. I didn't think it was such a good idea. At my house, when we played board games, it got real. If you aren't ready to make everyone hate you, than you aren't playing right. I didn't think that a board game was the best idea, if Mulder was going to win Bill's heart over. Somehow I was going to have to weasel my way out of this one. It was a never-ending battle. Instead of arguing, I force a smile.
"Alright, little sister, we better get inside before mom thinks we have killed each other," he laughs. He was right though. Every body was probably in there praying for Bill.
We walk in the house together, smiles on our faces. Bill walks up to Mulder. "Mulder, you have one chance to prove your worth. You better not let my little sister down. She fought for you. Make her proud." Mulder looks over at me, giving me a loving smile.
Bill walks away and heads towards Tara. He bends down and gives her a kiss. Every body heads outside, leaving Mulder and me to ourselves. Mulder waits until Charlie closes the glass door and looks down at me, mere inches from my face. "Alright, how did you do it? Did you cast some sort of spell on him. Did you use hypnosis?" He was shocked, and I suspected he would be skeptical.
I stood on my tip toes, whispered in his ear, "you underestimate my powers, Agent Mulder." After I dropped my little remark, I quickly gave him a kiss on the lips. It was a subtle kiss. It wasn't anything passionate. It was more of a promise for more to come. I didn't want our first kiss to be in the middle of my mother's kitchen, with all of my family sitting on the back porch. Though the thought was tempting, the risk of being caught was a rush, I resisted.
After I planted the kiss, I quickly turned on my heel and began to walk away. Mulder swiftly caught my wrist and pulled me back. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "I will remember that tonight, while we are sharing a bed, Agent Scully." All I could do was laugh. It really was nice to have crossed that line with Mulder. What a great weekend. "Hey, Mulder, how do you think Bill will react when he finds out we are sharing a bed?" He stopped dead in his tracks. "You mean 'if' he finds out. He doesn't have to find out," he says in a persuading tone. "Yeah, 'if' is good. I like 'if.' What's the worse that could happen?" And so we decided that Bill didn't need to know everything.
THE END
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