My love is strengthened, though more weak in seeming;
I love not less, though less the show appear.
That love is merchandised whose rich esteeming
The owner's tongue doth publish everywhere.
Our love was new, and then but in the spring,
When I was wont to greet it with my lays,
As Philomel in summer's front doth sing,
And stops his pipe in growth of riper days.
Not that the summer is less pleasant now
Than when her mournful hymns did hush the night,
But that wild music burthens every bough,
And sweets grown common lose their dear delight.
Therefore, like her, I sometime hold my tongue,
Because I would not dull you with my song.
[William Shakespeare - Sonnet 102 „My love is strengthened, though more weak in seeming"]
Scully was outstretched on the bed, arms and legs spread on the soft covers of the bed. She was lying in the middle of it, amused by the fact that not a single part of her body touched the edge. Either she was tinier than she had always thought or the bed was just ridiculously large.
She had had a nice breakfast with Stella in the hotel restaurant before they had said goodbye and Stella had ventured off into a rainy morning while Scully had remained behind. It was pouring and slightly chilly and she really couldn't be bothered to leave the hotel, not knowing what she was supposed to do all day. She had felt unusually tired this morning, a treacherous feeling that she had attempted to shake off months ago but every now and then it returned out of nowhere. A part of her knew that it would fade sooner or later but for now she had dragged herself back to the empty hotel room, had put the „Do not Disturb"-sign on the door handle and laid down on the bed. She had always imagined that feeling to look like a scary, dark thing; a terrifying shadow.
Scully was lying on her side, hugging the pillow while she looked out of the window; she watched the raindrops on the glass, staring at nothing in particular. She turned her head a little without lifting her head off the pillow, looking at the creature that she knew wasn't really there. She had made it up one night, trying to convince herself that it would be easier one day. Accepting it, whatever it may be, seemed to make it less terrifying and maybe it had worked for a long, long time but sometimes it returned. Whenever she was too weak or allowed herself to slip back to old habits and dark thoughts it sniffed its chance and forced its way back into her conscience.
It was a dark and terrifying creature that had hovered above her during many sleepless nights, nurturing fear and loneliness while Mulder had slept right beside her. It had made all of it disappear, shadowing the world around her so she couldn't see. Scully hugged the pillow with a sigh, trying to figure out what to do. She felt exhausted but she couldn't explain it, she felt empty although she had everything she needed at this moment. Sometimes, whenever she allowed herself to think too much it comes back and there it was, smiling at her from the other side of the bed and she couldn't make it go away. She was still too weak to shush it away just yet.
She thought of memories long gone, of mornings spent in the company of a nameless creature that lingered beside her when she had opened her eyes and hovered above her when she tried to sleep through the agony she had felt. It had dragged her back to bed far too many times when she hadn't been strong enough to fight it and it had handed her too many glasses of wine when she shouldn't have drunk at all. She had allowed it to live with her for far too long until she had greeted it as a friend one day, accepting its silent existence by her side. She could always feel it, lingering in the shadows and in the beginning it had sat by her side, dried her tears in the darkness with an encouraging grin on its emotionless face but as the years had gone by and she had slowly settled into her new life in England, it had slowly faded into the background. It wasn't until she had met Stella that she had found the strength to keep it at bay, knowing it would never be gone completely.
She wasn't crying now, she knew she wouldn't. She just felt empty and scared, not knowing what the future had in store for them but who could tell? She knew that her anxiety was somehow irrational but she couldn't ignore it, not when it seemed to drain her of all her strength and left her empty inside. She knew it would fade, not knowing how long it would take but she wanted to get herself together before Stella returned, she didn't want her to come back after a long day at work and find her in such a state of mind.
Scully sighed once more and closed her eyes while she listened to the soothing sound of the rain, coming from somewhere far away. She tried to ignore the voice that was coming from the other side of the bed, the small voice that told her that a part of her was missing when she knew that, everything she needed, everyone for that matter, would come back from work in the evening and that everything would be okay.
She refused to listen to the whispering from the dark corners of her mind, reminding her that life was fleeting and that bad things always happened when you least expect them. Scully felt happy for the very first time in a while but what if it didn't last? What if something happens and Stella wouldn't return to her for whatever cruel reason, what if fate decided to take Stella away from her? She felt the physical pain inside of her, ignoring these voices with every last bit of strength she had left. She didn't want to be naive but she couldn't succumb to it either with everything that life had thrown her way in the past. She turned her head one last time, looking at the creature that was waiting within reach. It had a smug grin on its face, feeling mighty proud of itself for having done such a marvelous job but she refused to give in.
She reached out, absent-mindedly patting the empty side of the bed just once, inviting it to sleep beside her instead of fighting it. She would let it in if she had to, let it sit at the breakfast table after dragging herself out of bed but she would not let it take over. She turned around and closed her eyes, knowing that sleep would be the only way to make things better. Nothing would harm her in her sleep and she needed every bit of strength to pull herself together. She drifted off to sleep after a couple of minutes, shutting out the world.
Scully opened her eyes, blinking a few times. It was still raining and the sky looked just as gloomy as it had before. She didn't know whether she had been asleep for five minutes or five hours, not feeling particularly rested at all. She took a deep breath and turned around. She knew that the other side of the bed was empty but when she looked again she saw that the dark creature was still by her side, a little quieter though.
Suddenly a smile crossed her face, thinking that things weren't quite so bad at all. She shook her head, ignoring her shadow and sat down on the edge of the bed. She could no longer listen to the voice inside her head that hated her for spending most of the day in bed, for feeling guilty because she hadn't done anything useful or left the room to get some fresh air, for being unreasonable for skipping lunch.
It was almost four in the afternoon and she had done absolutely nothing, that's what it sounded like but she reminded herself that she had pulled herself back together and regained strength after everything that had happened within the last couple of months. Maybe a little setback was okay every once in a while as long as she got back on her feet. She pushed herself off the bed and went to the bathroom to take a long hot shower.
There was a bathtub too and Scully thought that she wanted to do something nice for Stella when she came back from work tonight. She hardly ever took the time to do such things at home and Scully knew that they both needed to learn to take things a little slower and maybe that was a good start. She smiled to herself when she stepped into the shower, trying to wash away the negative thoughts. She still felt it clinging to her though she felt a little more relaxed and fresher. Once she was done she quietly got dressed, taking her time because everything seemed to move a little slower today. She didn't put makeup on because she felt like she didn't have any strength left for that.
She slipped a raincoat on just in case and grabbed her bag, ready to leave the room about an hour later. A part of her still seemed tired, every move feeling somewhat exhausting but she pushed right through it because she had something on her mind. She knew she had to leave the room and get some fresh air now that the rain had ceased a little; she had the to leave the darkness be and abandon it in the room while she stepped outside. A few minutes later she stepped onto the pavement in front of the hotel and a smile crossed her face.
It smelled of rain and summer; of warmth and comfort. It had always been one of her favorite smells, reminding her of her own childhood and so many other moments in her life. There was something about a quiet before the storm but there was just something even more comforting about the quiet after the storm when the world was still and only slowly came back to its senses after hiding from the rain.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling a little lighter than she had before. It almost felt like something had been lifted off her shoulders, a thick fog that had surrounded her slowly cleared.
Petrichor, she thought while she started walking; that was the name of the smell that surrounded her.
She had texted Stella while she had waited for the elevator to figure out at what time she'd be returning in the evening so she could plan ahead. With every step she took she created a lovely scenario in her mind, something that made her feel comfortable and safe and she wanted to do that for Stella. She briefly thought of surprising her with something, something to play a little and while she was certain that Stella wasn't new to it she still fell a bit nervous.
They had never really talked about it though Scully wasn't sure why but maybe it was time to do something about it, given that she didn't chicken out on the finish line. Scully took her sweet time, strolling through the streets until she found what she was looking for. Her heart was beating nervously when she found the right store and decided not to back down now. She still felt a little uneasy, a shadow clinging to her but she kept walking anyway, attempting to keep herself busy.
It was quiet when she entered the hotel room almost two hours later, the bed looking just as inviting as it had this morning but she couldn't give in again, she didn't want to. She dropped her purchases on the couch and got rid of the raincoat, feeling a little sweaty although temperatures had dropped down a bit and it had started raining again by the time she reached the hotel lobby.
She had had a small late lunch although she hadn't felt hungry but she knew that she needed to have something, she couldn't go all day without eating properly. Breakfast felt like it happened ages ago and it was just her weird mood keeping her from eating properly. She was annoyed by it, wanted to change it but something inside of her was fighting her. Scully liked the bathroom, the light was soft and soothing; she put away the few things they had brought and replaced them with the candles she bought, arranging them neatly. She held a pink and light purple bath bomb in her hands, bringing it up to her nose to smell. It was a flowery smell, something she had always enjoyed. Scully found herself laughing at the name of the bath bomb she had picked and had to admit that it was somewhat intended.
Sex bomb, she thought and rolled her eyes with a smile.
It smelled lush, she had used it before. Stella had laughed at her the first time Scully had used one of these but she had enjoyed it back in Cornwall. What she held in her hands now would color the water in a soft pink, smelling of jasmine, ylang ylang and clary sage and the little floating rose petals, still hidden inside the ball, were a pretty bonus. She was certain that jasmine was considered to be an ancient aphrodisiac that has been used as a sensual perfume for centuries; it is also used to ease stress and anxiety, something she could use as well.
She left it by the sink and made sure they had enough fresh towels and left to inspect the rest of her purchases.
Scully was back on the bed in the exact same position she had started this day. She was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. Her mind was empty and at the same time she heard a thousand voices yelling at her and she couldn't shut them out. The whole time she was listening for the sound of the door, waiting for Stella to walk through and put her out of her misery.
The last couple of minutes she had allowed herself to slip back into the same place that had held her hostage only a couple of hours ago and it just felt so much easier to let these terrible thoughts drown her instead of keeping her head above the water.
A part of her felt incredibly lonely, the same way she had years ago and although she knew it wasn't true she just couldn't stop it, weakly believing the lies that a small voice inside her head whispered. The more she tried to ignore it all the louder these voices became and for a second she seemed to lose her grip on the present, believing that something might happen.
What if all of this has been a mistake? What if things wouldn't last and she would end up all alone and heartbroken in the end?
Scully felt frustrated with herself, angry because she had wasted an entire day letting her mind trick her into something horrible, something she can't seem to escape. She had wondered where it had come from because everything had been okay when she had been having breakfast with the woman she loved. So much has changed in the last couple of months that it sometimes overwhelmed her when she had enough time to think about it and let it happen.
Before she had a chance to get lost she heard the distant sound of an incoming message. She looked up, feeling grateful for the disturbance all of a sudden. Slowly she got up and took her phone out of her bag, smiling at the message Stella had sent. She would be up in about five minutes and Scully left her doubts behind while she walked into the bathroom to run a bath for Stella to be ready when she arrived.
What if Stella didn't want to do that? She thought and remembered the other surprise that she had planned and suddenly it felt stupid and she wasn't so sure any longer. Quietly she lit the candles, sitting on the edge of the bathtub for a moment to let the soft glow of the flickering flames calm her.
„Dana?" she heard Stella's voice and a moment later the door was shut; Scully entered the main room, a wave of relief washing over her. She smiled at Stella and noticed that she looked exhausted and tense.
„Hey," Scully said softly and walked over to where Stella was standing; she put her bag on the table and took off her coat. Scully closed the distance between them and, much to Stella's surprise, she didn't kiss her but laid both arms around Stella and put her own head on Stella's shoulder.
She was quiet and Stella was stunned for an instant, not having expected this. Stella almost hesitated before she wrapped her arms around Dana and closed her eyes. She wasn't quite sure what had happened but she allowed herself to melt into the embrace, slowly inhaling Dana's scent, trying to forget about the horrible day she had had.
She let a few moments pass before Stella raised her head and put her hand under Dana's chin, motioning for her to do the same; she noticed that she looked tired, sad somehow but she didn't say anything.
Stella kissed her once and Dana responded to the physical contact a little more urgent than she had intended to, a sudden wave of affection rushing through her. She felt needy, aching to be close to Stella but she stopped herself because she wanted to give her a chance to catch her breath after a long and dreadful day.
„Is everything okay?" Stella asked and stepped out of her shoes.
„Yes," Scully said and smiled.
Stella didn't quite believe it but she didn't want to push it just yet.
„I have a surprise for you," she said and Stella bit her lip, trusting Dana enough to rely on it not being something unpleasant.
She allowed Dana to take her hand and guide her to the bathroom. It was much warmer in here and the water was warm and inviting though it didn't smell of jasmine yet, she wanted to wait until Stella was surrounded by the warmth.
Stella turned around, looking grateful.
„I thought you could use something nice after a long, rainy day," Scully said.
„That's perfect," Stella said, feeling utterly touched.
She wondered whether she'd ever get used to such a kind of affection and people doing nice things for her.
„Can you give me a hand?" Stella asked and looked over her shoulder.
Scully stepped closer; she put one hand on her shoulder, the other slowly opening the zipper of Stella's dress. Scully was stunned, realizing that she didn't wear a bra. Her fingertips brushed against the bare skin of her back and she leaned in a little, her lips caressing the bare skin of her shoulder and Stella's breath hitched a little at the contact.
She let the dress slide off her shoulders and down her arms until it pooled by her feet and she stepped out of it.
„Thank you," she whispered.
„I'll be back in a moment," Scully said and Stella removed her earrings.
Slowly she slipped into the warm water when Scully returned with two glasses of wine, placing both on the edge of the bathtub.
„Did you eat already?" she asked and Stella nodded. „I have something else for you."
Scully reached for the pink bath bomb, feeling a little excited. She handed it to Stella and she held it up to her nose, smiling. The moment she let it glide into the warm water the sound of soft whizzing filled the room and not long after the smell of jasmine and ylang ylang surrounded them.
„That's wonderful," Stella said and leaned back with a smile. „Thank you."
Scully handed her the glass of wine.
„I figured you could use some quiet time, I'm gonna leave you to it."
„It's okay," Stella said. „Stay with me."
Scully put the lid down and sat down on the toilet, propping her feet up when she leaned back.
„How was it?" Scully asked and sipped her wine.
„Awful," Stella answered and it was everything she had to say, she really didn't want to talk about it. „Let's leave it at that."
For the next couple of minutes no one spoke and they both seemed utterly content with the silence, engulfed by a soothing smell and a comforting warmth that made Scully feel relaxed for the first time since she had opened her eyes in the morning. She watched Stella playing with the floating rose petals; she had her hair put up in a bun and her cheeks were flushed. She looked adorable and Scully's fingertips were tingling, aching with the need to touch Stella and run her fingers over her soft skin. She was dying to feel her close, to reassure herself that everything would be okay and that not every day felt as horrible as this one had.
She loved Stella and she had to let her know; she remembered the way Stella's skin felt after a long hot bath. Everything was much softer and warm, so comforting and lush. Scully's eyes wandered over her glistening skin, deliciously shimmering in the candlelight.
She wondered what her skin tasted like when she ran her tongue over her warm skin; the swell of her breasts and the darkened nipples. There was a faint throb between her legs a reminder of how badly she wanted Stella.
She leaned back and sighed, pretending that she didn't see Dana watching her like that. She knew that look and it always made her feel excited but there was something else that she failed to ignore, something she had noticed the moment she walked in.
She didn't know what Dana had been up to all day but she had a feeling that it wasn't pleasant and a part of her wished that she could have been with her. At the same time she knew that she couldn't always protect her from certain things and, given everything that had been thrown her way throughout the course of her life, she couldn't blame her for being thrown off every now and then. She was a strong woman but it was okay to be fed up with everything from time to time.
Stella knew that overthinking sometimes got the better of Dana; she had been there herself. Every time she thought that things seemed to be going too well and that this couldn't truly be happening she heard a voice inside of her that warned her, trying to convince her that it just couldn't be right but so far she had done a great job of silencing it.
She saw that Dana was distracted by something, thoughts that were slowly eating her from the inside. She appeared lost, sitting there with a glass of wine in her hand. She was so close but seemed so far away at the same time. She didn't say much but Stella was okay with that, it would pass and she thought she knew exactly what Dana needed; something that had eased her aches many times in the past.
„You know," Stella said softly. „This is perfect but it would be even better if you were in here with me."
Scully smiled and hugged her knees.
„I think I'm fine right here," Scully said and bit her lip.
They finished their wine and Scully left the bathroom when the water was getting cold and Stella was ready to get out. She wrapped a towel around her body and removed her makeup while Dana felt just as lost as ever, wondering what to do. She still felt frustrated, not knowing what it was that she actually needed or wanted.
„You seem a bit tense," Stella said and put her hands on Dana's hips, kissing her neck. She knew that it was something else but maybe it wasn't the right time now. „Maybe we can do something about that."
She turned her around in her arms, slowly stripping her off her clothes until they were both naked; the towel that had covered Stella's body was on the floor by their feet. Scully wrapped her arms around Stella, pulling her as close as possible. She felt warm and soft just like she had imagined her to, the gentle flowery smell still lingering on her skin. They were engaged in a slow sensual kiss, slowly melting away Scully's doubts. She didn't think about the small pink vibrator that she had bought earlier today when she had briefly been excited, thinking that it would be a fun thing to do.
All she needed, now that her breasts were pressed against Stella's, was this moment. Stella pushed her back onto the bed, crawling on top of it. She kneeled in front of Dana, a little lower so she could roam her hands all over her body. Slowly she caressed her arms, her fingertips brushing over the swell of her breasts, teasing both nipples until they hardened at the touch of her hands and Scully sighed softly, tilting her head back.
Stella kissed the soft underside of her breasts while she fondled them both with her hands. She was gentle and slow, taking her sweet time to let Dana know that everything would be okay and that she still loved her dearly. Stella pushed herself up a little, taking one dark nipple inside her mouth. Scully sighed softly, both hands tangled in her hair, keeping her in place. She loved what Stella was doing with her mouth, her free hand gently fondling her other breast.
Scully arched into the touch, meeting Stella's gaze when she looked up and it was everything she needed at that time; she hadn't even touched her where she wanted it most and she was dripping wet. Stella smelled her arousal but had no intention on ending their little get together anytime soon, directing her attention to the other breast; her tongue circled the dark areola, drawing sweet sounds from Dana's lips. Stella abandoned her breasts, slowly making her descend while she left feather-light kisses in her wake.
She nipped at the soft skin of her hips, a smile crossing her face when her hands dug into her backside and Dana's grip tightened on her hair, encouraging her. She kissed the apex of her thigh, a soft whimper reaching her ears. Scully felt goosebumps line her skin; Stella resisted the urge to go a bit lower and taste her with the tip of her tongue. She pushed herself up again, capturing Dana's lips in a hungry kiss. Scully never let go of her, cupping her face with both hands when she pulled her in for a hungry kiss until the desperate need for oxygen forced them apart again. Her breath was hot against Stella's lips when she ran the tip of her tongue over Stella's bottom lip. Without saying another word Stella moved behind her, slightly changing the angle. She was still on her knees, moving around a little without letting go off Dana so that her feet won't get numb.
She pulled Dana against her own body, cupping her breasts from behind. She pinched both nipples and sucked the soft skin behind her ear, making Scully cry out loud. She put her own hands on Stella's, kneading her breasts while she arched into the touch. She put her head back with her eyes closed, surrendering to whatever Stella had in mind for them.
„Please," Scully whispered, slowly guiding their hands across her stomach to where she needed them.
Stella sucked the soft skin, maybe a little too hard because Scully cried out and she knew it would leave marks. Stella pulled them back against the cushions, nestling Dana between her legs. She felt a wave of pleasure rushing through her body, her clit throbbing when Dana's backside rubbed against her swollen clit. Stella spread her legs, draping Dana's over her thighs.
Scully let herself fall back, Stella's breasts pressed against her back. She turned her head a little, french kissing slowly while Stella ran her fingernails over the sensitive and moist skin of her inner thighs; Scully squirmed in her arms. Scully broke the kiss, putting her head on Stella's shoulder. She had a concentrated look on her face, something between pain and pleasure, desperately craving release.
Stella moved her fingers up and down, inching closer to Scully's wet center each time. Her fingertips caressed the apex of her thighs, brushing over the wet and swollen flesh and Dana moaned softly. Stella gathered the juices before she ran her fingers through her swollen folds from top to bottom, never breaking the kiss they shared. Scully's hands gripped the flesh of her own thighs, trying to find something to hold on to.
Scully's breaths came out huffed and shallow, soft moans leaving her lips in between. She swallowed hard when Stella pushed two fingers inside, gently exploring her tight walls first. She swirled them around, reveling in the warm velvet feeling that was surrounding her. Stella pumped her fingers in and out, coating them with Dana's unmasked arousal, encouraged by the frequent moans coming from the woman in her arms.
She ignored the slightly awkward angle of her wrist, pressing her palm against Dana's throbbing clit while she fingered her.
She hooked her fingers, pushing in a little deeper to brush the spongy spot inside of her; judging by the sounds coming from Dana she had hit just the right spot. Stella's free hand moved to Scully's clit, rubbing in slow circles while she continued finger her with the other. Scully squeezed her eyes shut and bit her bottom lip.
She felt waves of pleasure emanating from her wet center where Stella's nimble fingers teased her mercilessly until it pushed her over the edge.
„Oh God," Scully cried out, a long strangled moaned escaping her lips before her body stilled in Stella's arms and the orgasm washed over her.
Stella gave her a few seconds to gather her wits before she withdrew her fingers and Scully turned her head to meet Stella's lips with an open-mouthed kiss.
„Jeez," Scully whispered between kisses and Stella smiled.
It didn't take long for Scully to make up her mind, turning in Stella's arms. She didn't give her a lot of time, kissing her long and deep while she cupped her face and tilted her head back a little.
She felt the low vibrations of Stella's appreciating hum while they french kissed, their tongues entwined. Scully looked at her, a wave of deep compassion washing over her while she watched Stella beneath her. She settled between her legs, pressing her own clit against Stella's wet and swollen center; she arched her back with a long moan, trying to increase the friction against her sensitive parts.
Scully thrust her hips forward, creating a delicious friction while she met Stella's clit at just the right angle. Scully looked down to where they were joined, quietly regretting that she had hesitated about her newly-purchased vibrator earlier. She felt a wave of excitement rush through her when she imagined what good it could do to Stella now that she was entirely at her mercy but she would safe that for another day.
She brought her own fingers to Stella's clit, rubbing the sensitive bundle of nerves in slow circles until Stella squirmed beneath her. Scully leaned forward, taking one of Stella's nipples in her mouth while she continued to move her hips and tease her relentlessly.
It didn't take long for Stella to tumble over the edge, hissing through gritted teeth until her lips parted on a silent moan and Scully collapsed on top of her, her head resting on Stella's shoulder. For a couple of minutes it was quiet while they both caught their breaths, enjoying the presence of the other person.
Scully took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling a little more at ease and like herself again. She felt Stella's hand drawing slow circles on her lower back, the other brushing a few strands of hair from Dana's face. She propped herself up on her elbow and leaned forward for a kiss.
„Hey," Stella whispered and looked into her eyes, smiling softly.
She put her hand on Dana's cheek, her thumb caressing the warm skin.
„There you are," Stella said.
„I've been here the entire time," Scully said but maybe she knew what Stella meant.
„Something was on your mind," Stella said. „I could see it."
Scully thought about that for a moment and laid down beside her; she hadn't intended for her to notice that something was wrong.
„It's nothing," she said and turned towards Stella, playing with a corner of the blanket; she suddenly felt embarrassed.
„It doesn't look like it to me," Stella said though she didn't want to push her into talking about it if it made her uncomfortable.
„I… I just don't know," Scully said and sat up, reaching for a blanket to cover herself; she was frustrated all of a sudden. „I don't know what the fucking problem is!"
Her anger wasn't directed at Stella but at herself; she hadn't meant to snap at her but she couldn't take it back either.
„Everything was fine this morning," Scully said, sounding sad all of a sudden. „And then it wasn't."
Stella sat behind her, putting both hands on Dana's shoulders.
„I don't even know how to explain it."
„It's okay," Stella said calmly. „What did you do today?"
„Nothing," Scully said, slightly deflated. „I went back to this room after breakfast and then I just did… nothing."
„That's not true," Stella said. „You did something wonderful for me, it was the best thing that happened to me all day."
A tired smile crossed Scully's lips and she leaned back against Stella.
„I was sad," she explained and shrugged. „I don't know why… it was just all at once and it felt so overwhelming that it numbed me."
Stella felt guilty all of a sudden. Dana hadn't texted her but she would't have been able to answer her phone.
„I went outside after a while, got some fresh air when the rain stopped."
„I'm glad you did," Stella said and wrapped her arms around Dana. „I wish I could have been with you."
„It wasn't quite so bad after a while but I can still feel it clinging to me, something I just can't shake off."
„I'm sorry you feel that way," Stella said.
„It's okay," Scully said and took a deep breath. „I'm sure it'll be fine."
„Just take your time," Stella said. „You don't have to feel bad about anything. Promise you tell me the truth. Remember what you said to me in Cornwall?"
Scully nodded.
„Promise me you will do the same," Stella said. „I don't want you to think you are alone even if you feel that way from time to time. I know how that feels, I've been there."
Scully turned around and nodded.
„Come with me tomorrow," Stella said. „It shouldn't take long, we can go out for lunch after that and I think I'd feel a lot better knowing that you are with me, that I'm not alone in that damn courtroom."
„I will," Scully said.
The feeling of not being in this room all by herself suddenly seemed very comforting.
„Thank you," Stella said, her warm breath tickling the sensitive skin of her neck. She closed her eyes, inhaling the familiar scent.
„It's going to be fine," Scully whispered, reassuring Stella and herself.
„I know it will," Stella said pushed herself off the bed. „Come on, let's get ready for bed. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow."
„Yes, Ma'am," Scully said and laughed when she took Stella's outstretched hand, following her to put her pj's on and brush her teeth, feeling just a little bit lighter than she had just a couple of hours ago.
