Just so you know, I took liberties with both time and the FTF kissing scene.
Enjoy!
The next week, Scully's attempt to keep her distance from her partner is easier due to their not working together anymore. However, a call from Skinner sends the woman's plan in jeopardy.
"Agents," The Assisstant Director says, "I need you both to assess a bomb threat in Dallas."
"Texas?" Scully asks simply wanting two weeks at home in her apartment. With a smirk, Mulder says, "Is there any other kind, Scully?"
Ignoring the remark, the red head turns back to Skinner who gives them both a file explaining the details of their case.
"You have two hours until your plane leaves," Their boss explains before dismissing his agents. Leaving the office, Mulder sarcastically states, "Chloe's going to love this. I told her we could see a game before she left for Six Flags."
Sighing, Scully replies, "I know. I'm sorry."
Her friend shrugs.
"It's not your fault Skinner is a matchmaker," He says. Scully's head shoots up to look at the man. Mulder smirks, "Calm down, Scul. I didn't mean it literally. I just meant that he wants to pair us up."
The red head nods, but is quiet as they take the elevator to the parking garage. Noticing the woman's silence, Mulder asks if she is okay.
"Fine," Scully replies before saying that she will meet her former partner at his place. The man nods before heading to his car.
Entering his apartment, Mulder finds his daughter watching television.
"Hey, Dad!" Chloe says turning off the program and looking at her father. He smiles at her sadly. Used to the expression, Chloe asks, "We're not going to get to go to the game, are we?"
"Chloe, we have to go to Texas for work," Mulder says knowing his daughter will be leaving soon for her week long trip to Six Flags with Anna.
"But, Dad!"
"I can't help it," The man answers. "Besides, Scully and I both have meetings at the office that determine where we work."
Chloe nods slowly not entirely understanding the predicament, but knowing her father needs his job. With a sigh, the teen goes to her room as Mulder calls out that Scully will be by later. Sighing, Mulder heads off to his room to pack his clothes. Knocking on his daughter's door ten minutes later, the father waits for the teen to open it.
"Go away!" Chloe calls out upset that her father has to cancel his plans.
"Chloe!" Mulder persists. This time, the father is able to enter his daughter's room. Sitting on the bed, Mulder asks his daughter what is wrong besides his leaving for Texas. The teen shrugs not wanting to explain that she feels neglected by him. She knows he has to work, but sometimes wishes she can live a normal life with two parents and have one or both home on a regular basis. He hates to see his daughter upset with no way to fix it, but says soothingly, "You know I love you, right?"
Chloe nods before closing herself off again. Standing from the bed, Mulder goes back to his room to finish packing his clothes before checking in the living room to see if he has any clean socks.
Outside her friend's apartment, Scully unlocks the door to hear music playing from her ward's room. Noticing a more melancholy sound come from the room, the red head looks over at Mulder who sits at the table sorting laundry.
"What's wrong with Chloe?" She asks as she puts down her purse.
"She's upset that we have to go to Texas. I really hope this trip doesn't take too long. I already feel awful leaving her with Rachel and Adam. You packed?" Mulder asks. The red head nods telling him it's in her car. Sighing, the father wonders, "I wonder if I should take her up to see my mom?"
"She'd probably love it. Just, tell her first?" Scully asks with a small smile.
"Ha! That was one time!" Mulder replies remembering when he unexpectadly dropped by to see his mother leaving his daughter with her. With a sigh he adds, "I guess I'll make sure Chlo is ready to go."
"Do you mind?" The woman asks nodding to the bedroom where Backstreet Boys blares from the thin walls. Mulder shrugs before making sure he has everything.
Hearing a knock on her door, Chloe rolls her eyes as she turns her music up a little louder.
"Chloe it's me!" Scully yells over the music. Turning the radio down a little, the upset teen opens her door.
"Hey, your dad sent me in to see if you were ready," The red head says with a small smile. Clearly still upset, Chloe answers, "And?"
"And you can't stay here by yourself and are staying with Rachel and Adam," Scully replies. Shaking her head, the teen answers, "I don't want to. Why can't I stay with Maggie?"
Pinching the bridge of her nose much like she talks to Mulder, Scully explains that Maggie is currently visiting Bill in San Diego. Realizing something more is bothering Chloe, the woman asks what is actually wrong. The teen shrugs adding, "Doesn't matter."
"Yes, it does," Scully answers firmly ushering the teen back into the room. Sitting on the bed with her, Scully finally sees a crack in her surrogate daughter's facade and remembers the teen is still a little girl sometimes. Hugging her to her, Scully murmurs into the brunette's hair, "I love you, but you need to tell me what's wrong."
"I just thought that you two would stay here more like the other kids' parents when you got taken off the X-Files," Chloe replies. Pursing her lips, the red head struggles not to tell the teen she feels the same way. Instead, Scully answers, "Sometimes things don't happen that way, Chlo. If you want though, you're always free to call us. I'll make sure we call you when we land."
Chloe nods knowing Scully will keep her word.
True enough, Mulder and Scully call just as they get out of the airport and into the fresh air. Both adults talk to the teen briefly before reporting to their job.
Hours later outside a blown up building, Scully notices her partner go into shock. Taking him back to the hotel, the red head tucks him into bed to stay warm.
"Stay here?" He asks. Not used to the vulnerability in her friend's voice, the red head complies and sits beside him on the bed. On top of the blankets, Scully shifts to get comfortable before turning on the television.
"That should've been me," Mulder comments causing the red head to turn the volume down and answer, "But it wasn't."
"But–"
"It wasn't you, Mulder. Besides, you have a daughter to think about. I," Scully catches herself in a moment of showing her attachment, reassesses her words, and adds, "think she would be pretty upset if you died on her. The last thing I need is for you to die on her."
She inwardly adds herself to the list even though she knows the man is not one to reciprocate her feelings and can only stay friends. Sighing, Mulder says, "I miss her. What time is it there?"
"An hour ahead. They're probably nowhere near a pay phone, Mulder," Scully says sadly. The man puts his head on the pillows and closes his eyes. He smiles a little when he hears his partner say, "I miss her, too."
Heading back to D.C., the agents prepare themselves for their upcoming trial the next day. Neither in the mood to talk much after the day's events, the pair splits at Mulder's apartment building. Entering his home, Mulder loosens his tie and heads to the kitchen. Finding a container of Chinese take out in his fridge, the man opens it, sniffs, and grabs a fork. Sitting at his sofa, Mulder combs through his evidence while he eats actually careful about not spilling any grease on the papers. Half an hour later, he gets a call from his daughter.
"Hey, Chloe? How's Six Flags?" Mulder questions when his daughter finishes talking.
"We've only been at the hotel, Dad!" Chloe replies as if the situation is obvious. Smiling, Mulder replies, "My mistake. How's the hotel?"
He listens to his daughter talk about the hotel pool at their adventures on the forty minute rided there before looking at the time. Although, Chloe is barely eating dinner yet, Mulder cannot keep his eyes open after nearly dying that day. Saying good- bye to his daughter, the man puts the phone down and leans his head against the arm rest. Waking up at around four, Mulder quickly begins to look over his notes again. Glancing at his watch after what seems like a few minutes, the man is shocked when he realizes his court appearance is scheduled for an hour later. Scrubbing his hands over his face, the man quickly gets ready, grabs his files, and heads off to the hearing.
With the results of the hearing not what the man wants, Mulder immediatly finds a bar after realizing his friend and colleague is gone.
As Mulder drinks his pain away, Scully lies in her bed staring at the ceiling. Nothing in her day so far is how she wants it, but she can practically hear her mother's words about taking a break from her partner echo in her head. Cognizant of someone knocking at her apartment door, the red head gets up and answers it.
"'Awww, I woke you," Mulder states as he walks into the woman's apartment adding as an afterthought, "'Did I wake you?'"
"'No'," She affirms. Confused, the man asks, "'Why not? It's three in the morning...'"
"'Are you drunk, Mulder?'" Scully asks not quite accustomed to inebriated Mulder. He opens his mouth and replies, "'I ... I ... I was until about 20 minutes ago, yeah.'"
Tired, the woman asks, "'Was that before or after you decided to come here?'"
Shocked that his friend thinks he will only come to her apartment when drunk, he asks, "'What exactly are you implying?'"
"'Go home, Mulder'," Scully insists causing her friend to counter, "'No, get dressed, Scully.'"
Not in the mood for games, the red head replies, "'It's late.'"
"'Get dressed'," He insists. Not up for another late night escapade, Scully asks what the man is doing. Not one to explain until he gets what he wants, Mulder replies, "'Just get dressed, I'll explain on the way.'"
The rest of her time with Mulder is not as she expects. After facing her own version of a Hitchcock film that replaces birds with bees, Scully can tell the bureau thinks she unsuited to stay with Mulder. After Diana and now killer bees, the red head heartily agrees as she walks into Skinner's office and accepts her fate.
A couple hours later, Scully parks in front of Mulder's apartment complex. She feels she needs to tell him about her transfer in person rather than from Skinner or some random agent. Opening his apartment door, the woman sees her friend turn in his chair toward her, assess her appearance, and ask, "'What's wrong?'"
Seeing her untucked shirt and rumpled blazer, he is honestly worried for her. The only response he gets is, "'Salt Lake City, Utah. Transfer effective immediately.'"
Mulder turns away from her and looks at the ceiling wondering how his day can actually get worse at nearly ten o'clock at night. He decides not to face his friend as she says, "'I already gave Skinner my letter of resignation.'"
Insistent, the man replies, "'You can't quit now, Scully.'"
"'I can, Mulder. I debated whether or not even to tell you in person, but ...'"
Mulder cuts his friend off replying, "'We are close to something here!'"
Finally turning to look at her, he adds, "'We're on the verge!'"
"'You're on the verge, Mulder. Please don't do this to me'," The woman begs. Leaping from his chair, the man walks over to his partner asking, "'After what you saw last night, after all you've seen, you can just walk away?'"
"'I have, I did, it's done'," She answers with finality not wanting to deal with a fight on top of a reassignment and resignation. In an attempt to keep her, Mulder replies, "'I need you on this, Scully.'"
"'You don't need me, Mulder. You never have. I've just held you back'," She insists remembering Diana and how the dark haired woman is clearly a better match for him regarding the X-Files despite being his ex- wife. Seeing his hurt expression, Scully drops her eyes from his and turns to leave replying, "'I gotta go.'"
Waiting for a moment, Mulder quickly follows his friend calling out, "'You wanna tell yourself that so you can quit with a clear conscience, you can, but you're wrong!'"
Unable to stop herself, the red head turns and faces her former partner. Angry, Scully questions, "'Why did they assign me to you in the first place, Mulder? To debunk your work, to rein you in, to shut you down.'"
Knowing it may be his only chance to tell her how he feels, Mulder states, "'But you saved me! As difficult and as frustrating as it's been sometimes, your goddamned strict rationalism and science have saved me a thousand times over! You've kept me honest ... you've made me a whole person. I owe you everything ... Scully, and you owe me nothing.'"
Listening to him, Scully notices his blatant honesty and her eyes fill with tears. Now she silently berates the transfer. Watching her face, Mulder adds, "'I don't know if I wanna do this alone... I don't even know if I can ... and if I quit now, they win.'"
Knowing she has been foolish in her thoughts after Diana, the red head lets her tears silently trail down her face as she falls into her partner's embrace. With his arms around her, Scully closes her eyes. After a moment, she pulls back and kisses the man on the forehead before gently resting her forehead on his while she continues to cry. Cradling her face, Mulder pulls it back to look at her better. Her hands resting on the back of his head, the pair lock eyes and easily close the space between them. Kissing, the partners can no longer say they are simply friends, especially once Mulder's body hits the wall.
Scully pulls back when she feels a prick on her neck. Grabbing the back of her neck in pain, the red head replies, "'Ow!'"
"'I'm sorry'," He apologizes thinking he crosses the line. Clarifying her statement, the red head replies, "'Something stung me.'"
"'Must've gotten in your shirt'," The man answers as he grabs the bee and squishes it. Suddenly, Scully states, "'Mulder ... something's wrong.'"
"'What?'" He asks worriedly as the woman goes on to describe the pain in her chest.
"'Scully'," Mulder states wavering between calling an ambulance or taking her himself.
"'My motor functions are being affected'," The woman says as she begins to fall. Catching his co-worker, Mulder says as he gently lays her on the floor, "'Scully...'"
Knowing she needs to keep him aware of what happens to her, the red head says, "'My pulse is thready ... a funny taste in the back of my throat.'"
"'I think you're going into anaphylactic shock'," He tells her. Contradicting him, Scully replies, "'No ... I have no allergy.'"
Running to his apartment, Mulder calls 911 and earnestly and anxiously reports, "'This is Special Agent Fox Mulder, I have an emergency! I have an agent down!'"
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