Chapter 21: Meeting you
Scully pours gas into the car and stretches her neck trying to lighten her stress, footsteps approach and she looks towards the origin of the sound - Were you following me? - says the old guy smiling at her, she looks at him trying to remember where she has seen him before and smiles
- Hey. Didn't I see you at the hospital? - she says frowning a little
He offers a kind smile - It must be kismet - he chuckles - But I doubt we'll be seeing each other again, I'm driving across country - she lays her head looking at him with courtesy.
- Oh! Anywhere in particular? - she asks trying to keep the conversation, since he is being kind to her
He seems happy to talk - No, I just want to see the world… Things are about to change - he says with a serious expression, she frowns trying to understand his words but is useless
He turns around and walks towards his car, she suddenly remembers her conversation with Mulder - Hey! Are you Dr. Masao Matsumoto? - she asks with interest this time
He frowns - A doctor? - he chuckles again - No. I never finished high school - she looks at him without knowing what to say - You seem like a nice person - he smiles - I wish I could know you better -
She feels a warm in her heart, is good hear friendly phrases from strangers - Well, safe travels - he smiles turning again and opening the driver's door of his car, he turns towards her suv, he puts a foot inside the car and turns to look at her again
- If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything - she looks at him with a question in her face, but he gets in and drives away while Mulder comes out of the store
- Who's that? - Mulder asks looking how the car goes away
Scully looks at him with a half smile - Just a friendly old guy. But he seems so familiar - she looks to the floor thinking about his face, she opens her mouth remembering - The Pick Up Artist - Mulder frowns without understand
- What are you talking about? -
- That book in Jackson's room, I think he's the author - she says with amazement
He frown again finding the whole situation funny - What'd he say? -
- He gave me a piece of advice, he said... "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything -
He is aware of what she is saying and realizes who that man really is - That's a Malcolm X quote, Scully - she also realizes, understanding what Mulder wants to tell her, and opens her mouth incredulous, both run towards the road looking both ways, but the car is no longer in sight, Mulder looks around and sees the security camera
He points to it with his finger and looks at her - Scully - both run to the station and enter the store, he pulls out his FBI plate looking at the manager - We need to see your surveillance video. Now -
The man do as they say and rewind the video tape as far as they indicate - Right there - she says seeing herself in the video.
Mulder is standing behind Scully, and watching the video without being able to believe what his eyes see, she watches the video between incredulous and happy, he puts his hands on her shoulders knowing exactly how is she feeling
- Are you Dr. Masao Matsumoto?
- A doctor? No, I I never finished high school… You seem like a nice person. I wish I could know you better.
- Safe travels.
He lowers one of his hand to her waist smiling, she smiles too with tears in her eyes, their son is alive and safe, and he knows her, and wants to know her, it is the best gift she has ever received, She tries not to cry and leaves the store so that no one sees her tears, Mulder asks the man the tape and goes out to look for Scully, she is lying on the door of the suv crying, he goes to hug her and she clings of his jacket tightly, letting her sobs get stronger, he caresses her back and kisses her forehead - It's okay honey, he is okay, we will be okay - she pulls away looking at him, he leans down and kiss her salty lips full of tears - he knows you and he doesn't hate you, you should be happy - she chuckles while he wipe her tears with his thumbs
- I am happy Mulder, I'm just overwhelmed, I can't believe it - he smiles kissing her forehead again and hugging her tight, they remain embrace it for a while until he pulls away and show her the tape
- We will be able to see him again, until then, here he is - she smiles holding the tape and putting it against her heart, he smiles and walks around to the driver's seat, she gets in the car with a smile, he is alive and he knows about them, that means he heard her speech in the morgue, she doesn't know how to feel about it, the only thing that matters now, is that their son is alive and safe.
The trip back is long and she manages to sleep most of the way, he is happy, after the suffering of two days, finally manage to feel good again, he drives to Wallace Road, after the days they have had, she doesn't want to go to sleep alone. After three hours they get home, he is exhausted and his back and neck hurt from the trip, she wakes up and stretches her body, looking at him she realizes that he is tired, she holds his hand and he smiles - Let's go inside, you are exhausted Mulder - he chuckles nodding, they go inside with their suitcases and their tiredness, they are getting old for this, the FBI is no longer a place for them.
Both walk straight to the bed, she puts the video tape on the night table with a smile, and pulls the broken snowball out of her pocket and puts it next to the tape, he pulls their pajamas out of the drawer, and they both undress in bed throwing the day's clothes to the floor, both undress the bed and organize the pillows before getting under the blankets. he stretches out exhausted and gives a grunt of pain, she looks at him with concern and makes him lie on his stomach.
He follows her orders tired, but as soon as he feels her hands on his back, he feels better, she raises his shirt asking him to take it off, he does it while she takes her body cream from the dressing table and spreads it all over his back, massaging him with care, he moans with pleasure every time she puts pressure on some points, she smiles knowing that she really is turning him on. After a couple of minutes he turns around and holds her neck pulling her towards him and kissing her with passion - I thought you were exhausted Mulder - she says smiling in his mouth.
He smiles too biting her lower lip - Don't do that then, you know your massages turn me on Scully, I'm alive again - he begins to undress her feeling better than ever.