DISCLAIMER: See chapter 1
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"I know, I've missed you too."
"Why did you leave me Mulder?"
"I can't explain it. It was just that...that's what I had been searching for ever since Samantha disappeared. It was my life, my goal. I had to reach it."
"And now? What happens now? You've reached it, you've found them. But you already knew, Mulder. You knew they existed, you had proven to me that they existed. What else is there? Proving to the world? How is your disappearing going to prove that?"
"I don't know. I didn't know when I chose to leave. It just felt like something I had to do, more than that, something I was meant to do."
"You were meant to leave me?"
Mulder was silent.
"Mulder?"
"Maybe," he said softly "Maybe we were never meant to be together Scully. All the times they tried to split us up...maybe that was our fate, but we ran from it, and maybe it finally caught up with us."
"I can't believe that. What would the purpose be? Why would we be brought together, only to be spilt apart again?"
"I don't know. I can't answer you Scully."
"But you always had the answers Mulder..." Scully said pleadingly, one small tear slipping down her cheek.
"Oh no. Scully, you can't cry, not for me. Please, I'm not worth it."
"Yes you are. You're worth every tear, every pain, every suffering. You're worth everything. You were everything to me."
"I'm sorry. All I can say is I'm sorry."
"Will you come back?" Come back to see my baby? she thought silently.
"Maybe, if I can. The ship has left Earth. I can feel it; it's just in orbit now. I don't know when and if it's going to come back down."
"I hope so."
"No more than I do. Scully...I have to leave."
"What? No! Please!"
"I have to, I can't stay. When I'm here I can't move my body and I'll need to be able to walk soon."
Scully sighed. "All right. Good-bye Mulder."
"Good-bye Scully."
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Scully woke up on Mulder's couch, daylight streaming in from the window to lay softly on her face. She blinked sleepily, struggling to remember what had happened. She sat straight up when the memories flooded back.
Mulder. She had made contact with Mulder.
Scully looked outside. The day seemed a bit brighter.
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Doggett looked up from the file he was reading when Scully walked in the door.
He raised his eyebrows. "You look like you're in a good mood this morning."
"Its a lovely day." she said, by way of explanation.
"Mmm-hmm." Doggett went back to reading his file.
"What's the case?"
"Disappearance. Sixteen year old vanished from her room. Mysteriously, her treasured belongings went with her, along with $200 from her bank account."
Scully lifted an eyebrow. "And the FBI has been called in?"
"Her father's a big money guy."
"Courtesy check?"
"Exactly."
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Three weeks later, Scully's good mood had vanished. She was anxious, afraid that Julia may not contact her. Irrational fears, she knew, but they were there all the same.
Scully reviewed her list as she paced the inside of Mulder's apartment. Recently, she had taken to sleeping there once or twice a week. Neither Doggett, nor Skinner knew about her tiny concession to her grief, and staying where Mulder's presence was so strong helped her get a full nights' sleep at least once a week.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
Scully paused in her pacing. She hadn't ordered any take-out...she knew Mulder wouldn't have any visitors...so that only left...
Julia.
Scully walked quickly to the door, not wanting to seem as excited as she felt.
"Don't bother hiding it." Julia said as she breezed in, hefting a backpack that looked as though it weighed a ton.
Scully lifted a brow, arranging her features in the familiar patented Scully-look.
Julia grinned. "That may have worked on him, but it doesn't work on me. Ready for another session?' she said without preamble.
"Yes. Defiantly."
"I thought so. No full moon tonight, so we may not be able to accomplish the direct connection we did last month."
"That's all right. Just as long as I can talk to him"
Julia dumped the backpack with mighty thump, and relaxed on the couch. "That's what I'm here for."
Scully smiled a little. "Are you ready?"
"I'm not going to translate this time."
"I don't understand."
"You're going to, if you're willing." Julia slid to her knees on the floor and started opening the backpack she had carried in. She pulled out a small machine. One large box and two smaller ones shaped vaguely like hands were connected by numerous wires. A large rust coated car antenna was attached to the top of the large box. The entire thing looked as though it had been built from randomly chosen parts found in a junkyard.
"This was made especially for you. Its only the second ever successfully completed."
"What is it?"
"It will give you the chance to talk with Agent Mulder, just like I do. You'll be able to block thoughts, and you'll have to, but it might take more strength than you have right now."
"I'll be able to talk to him?"
"That's the general idea."
"Then I'll do it."
"Good. Place your hands there." She indicated the smaller boxes. "The original was a head piece, but it was horribly uncomfortable. This was made for you, and only you."
"Me?"
"Well, you and Mulder really. He's the only person you'll be able to read."
"How did you manage that?"
"I have no idea. I didn't design or build it."
"Why us?"
The carefree, cheerful manner Julia had adopted suddenly vanished. "I didn't tell you the entire truth about why I'm helping you. Mulder isn't only important to you. He's very important to us. We need him desperately."
"Why?"
"I can't explain right now."
"All right then, why me?"
"Whenever he talks about you, or mention something about you, his signal gets stronger. It has gotten strong enough so enable me to could pinpoint his location when the ship was in orbit. I couldn't believe it."
"What were you talkingto him about?"
"I don't remember exactly" Julia lied "Something the hallway out there" she waved her hand at the door "Then he changed the subject really quickly and started muttering about New Year's."
Scully smiled a small, private smile. "I don't think he changed subjects." she whispered.
"Anyway, the point is, he's clearer with you. We need you to talk with him, so we can find him. All right?"
"Let's go."
Julia flipped a switch on the side of the machine. It began to hum slightly. "Go ahead."
Mulder?
Who...?
It's me.