A/N: This chapter is pretty light. There are always problems between these two, I know, but it's Mulder and Scully, they didn't usually have a lot of time to recollect themselves together before another alien or paranormal creature or whatever came along.

The X Files doesn't belong to me.

Fall was Scully's favorite season. She liked school beginning again, spicy apple cider, and leaves changing on the trees. After the second week of school, she came home to a slightly chilly apartment and her barking dog. She shushed him and took a moment to scratch behind his ears, changed into her pajamas and a robe, and sat down with leftovers and papers to grade.

She had a new influx of freshmen who were quite rowdy, except for the antisocial kids who liked to sit in the back. Scully loved her kids; the students were probably her favorite part of teaching, but things still felt a little different with Mulder gone. She occasionally heard Mr. Gering teach across the hall. He liked to yell, which seemed sort of wrong for a sociology teacher. Scully had heard a few comments about him, mostly on the negative side. Earlier that week, she had overheard a few of her junior students who came in a few minutes before the bell rang talking about the new teacher.

"You're taking sociology this year, right?" The girl named Erin asked.

"Yeah," replied the boy named Mason. "You're taking the second course?"

"Mmm-hmm. I might switch out, though,"

"Why?"

"I can't stand Mr. Gering. I thought Mr. Mulder was coming back so I took the second course."

"Why? What was so special about Mulder? Wasn't he the Mr. Spooky guy?"

"Yeah," Erin said, "But he was such a good teacher. Now we have Mr. Gering who is creepy and talks too loud."

Mason lowered his voice, but Scully could still hear. "Didn't Mulder have a thing with Miss Scully?"

"I think so," out of her peripheral vision, Scully saw Erin's eyes dart to her, making sure she wasn't listening. "But weren't they cute together?"

Mason shrugged, "I guess."

Scully blushed; has everyone found out? she thought. "I think they were adorable," Erin concluded, and the rest of the students began to trickle in. The bell rang and she turned her thoughts to her class, pushing thoughts of Mulder to the back, as she had so often been doing.

She thought about those students and the other teachers who had been chatting about it in the lounge. She had started going there for lunch, her company being a book. Monica encouraged her to talk to the other teachers and get to know them, but she had a hard time relating to them.

The phone rang, and, expecting it to be her mother (who called on a weekly basis), Scully picked it up, still idly petting Queequeg, who had made his way onto her lap. "Hello?"

"Hi," said Mulder.

He hadn't called since he moved away two weeks ago, so it was a surprise, though not an unwelcome one. "Mulder, I wasn't expecting you to call."

"I guess I felt like surprising you," he replied.

"Nice surprise," she said. "How are you?" she settled back in her chair as her dog jumped off her lap and went to chase a shadow.

"I'm pretty good. I just got done with my first week of work. Saw a lot of kids come to class in their pajamas."

That got a chuckle out of her. "I've been working for two weeks now. Same thing as last year. What are you upto?"

"Well, now that I'm finally all moved into a new apartment and settled down, I thought I'd call someone I love...so what are you wearing?" he joked.

She rolled her eyes. "Do you find flannel pajamas sexy?"

"When they're on you," she could see him, leaning back in his chair with a twinkle in his eye. She felt herself grinning, covering her smile with her hand. "It's nice to hear your voice." he said.

"It's nice to hear yours, too, but I'd rather being seeing your face right now."

"I'd rather be kissing your face right now."

"Mulder!" Scully laughed. "That's something one of my students would say to their girlfriend."

"I mean it, Scully. I wish you were right here with me."

"Me, too. I feel almost lonely sometimes..." she replied. "But I've got Queequeg to keep me warm at night." she added teasingly.

"Oh, I bet he's happy now that he's got all your attention," Mulder said. Queequeg always bit at his heels and yipped at him when he was around.

"You're the one who wouldn't give him your pizza crust one time," Scully replied, and they laughed together. "In all seriousness, Mulder, I hope I can come down there one day and see you."

"I hope so, too. You have a good weekend, Scully."

"You, too."

"I love you," he said sweetly.

"I love you, too."

When Mulder hung up the phone, he looked around his apartment. It was new and foreign to him, and he wished he was able to anticipate Scully coming through the door. He hoped this feeling of loneliness and yearning would pass.

There was a woman at the university Mulder worked at; her name was Diana Fowley. Mulder knew her, in fact there was a lot of history between them. It was a surprise to see her, and he couldn't decide if it was a good surprise or bad one. The few conversations they had were awkward, but Diana was still the same old Diana Mulder once knew.

It was going to be a long year.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter was a little short, and not much happened.

-Lulamae