Title: Amoureux [1/3]
Author: Alien925
Disclamer: The X-Files and its characters belong to the creator Chris Carter and 1013. I'd never dream of stealing them, unless Chris Carter desperately wanted me to, in that case I wouldn't really mind.
Classification PG-15
Authors Notes: This fic is set in the past of the X-files. By this I mean before Mulder got abducted, Scully got pregnant, Dogget and Reyes came [ onto the team] and Skinner lost even more hair. Its not normally my nature to make Diana Fowley into a reasonably nice person as normally she's well hated in my fics, but this ones different. So sorry to the ones that hate the fowl. Oh and Amoureux, means ' in love' in French. This story is a bit sappy and that, also it doesn't really portray Scully how she really is, but for once I just thought, I'd write her in like this...
Summary: Terrible thing happen when misunderstandings occur.
Spoilers: Millenniumm
AMOUREUX [1/3]
Dana Scully fingered the gun at her side. She had spent the past half hour glaring at her partner and pondering on whether she should shoot him. Being Mulder, he hadn't noticed yet. She let out a melodramatic sigh, causing him to look up from his paperwork.
" Whats wrong Scully?" he asked innocently.
She glared at him again and walked out of the basement office slamming the door behind her, which led to the falling of files balanced on the very edge of a filing cabinet. Mulder watched as the papers swirled their way down to the ground.
What was wrong with her?
He didn't know so he shrugged his shoulders and bent his head back down towards his paperwork ingoring the mess on the office floor.
XxX
Scully walked through the Hoover building which buslted with FBI Agents. Some doing actual work, but most of them were just hanging round the watercooler telling dirty jokes. She ignored them all and made her way out into the cold winter street that matched her mood.
She manuvered herself past the odd group of tourists until she cam to the coffee shop where she and Mulder often took a break. Sighing at the
thought of Mulder, she pushed open the door, went inside and ordered a latte from the counter.
She sipped her hot drink and thought. Why had he failed to notice what he was doing?
It all rolled back to the New Year where they had shared their first real kiss in the reception of a hospital. Ironic really. She smiled at the thought.
They had walked out of the hospital like any other happy, satisfied couple. Mulder's arm slung accross her shoulder. Except, thats where it had ended. They had pretended that it hadn't happened. Ever since New Years, he had ignored her when they were alone, he refused to make eye contact with her, he didn't tease her like he used to either. That kiss had destroyed their friendship and althought they still worked in tandem, their partnership was slowly falling to pieces and she was sure that they both knew it.
The only reason she could think of, was that he regretted ever kissing her on the New Year, dispite their near kiss a few years ago and the sexual banter that had passed between them up until the Millennium. She didn't regret it, she had liked the kiss. She had known she was in love with Mulder for a long time, five or six years? - but she had never done anything about it. She had kept her mouth buttoned up, in fear that if she said anything, their friendship and patnership would be ruined. Now she knew the truth. She had been right to not say anything.
She had always imagined the senario whereby she would tell Mulder that she loved him and he would return her love. She had dreamed that over and over. Now she knew the truth, that he didn't *love* her, but loved her only as a friend, that fantasy came repelling back towards her, hitting her hard with a blow to her heart.
Scully sighed and tore herself away from her thoughts. She shook the unshed tears from her eyes and looked around the coffee shop. It was filled mostly with young couples, engaged in conversation over coffee. A lone man sat in an overstuffed armchair near the window. He was looking upon the crowded Washington street without interest. Scully noticed his dark features almost immediately. Thick, dark, neatly cut black hair crowned his head. Dark eyebrows grew over his warm hazel eyes. His straight nose towed above full lips and a prominant jaw line. He was wearing what looked like a vey expensive suit with a paisly tie. His polished shoes gleamed in the dull winter light comming in through the window. And an untouched mug of coffee sat on the table next to his chair. She was attracted to him at once.
As if the man could sense her staring at him, he turned round and met her stare. Their eyes locked for what seemed like years to Scully. He broke the contact and walked over to her seat.
"Robin George." he extended his hand towards her in greeting.
"Dana Scully." she smiled and shook his hand. Scully guestured to the seat next to her. He sat down.
Robin guestured to her suit,
" Government?" he asked and smiled when she nodded.
" Do you work for the them too?" Scully asked.
Robin heasitated, then chuckled
" I most certainly do Dana.." Scully nodded and said,
" Whats your bussiness?"
" If I told you, I'd have to kill you, and thats the last thing I want to do." was the reply.
Seeing Scully's shocked face he chuckled and said,
" Joke. It was a very bad joke. Sorry if I scared you."
" No, its Ok." Scully replied. Noticing Robin looking away uncomfortably she decided to change the subject.
" I like your tie." she pointed at the paisly pattern and cringed inwardly at the stupidity of her last remark.
" Thanks." he said almost shyly. Looking up at the clock on the wall Scully saw she had been gone lomg enough for Mulder to actually notice.
" I'd better be getting back or else my partner'll call out a search party or something." she said quietly.
Robin looked dissapointed.
" Ummm.. maybe we could get together for coffee or something again?" Scully said and held out her card, containing her home, office and cell phone number and home address. There was no harm in trying, now that she wouldn't be with Mulder.
" I'd like that." he answered simply and took the card, gave her his and waved to her slightly as she walked out of the door.
XxX
Mulder paced for the forty-fifth time up and down the floor of his office.
"Where the hell is she?" he asked nobody for the fifty-fifth time. Still pacing he grabbed the office phone and called her home number.
" Hi, this is Dana Scully, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can." came the familiar answerphone message.
He made a frustrated sound and dialed her cell.
" The celluar customer you have dialed cannot be reached right_" Mulder hung up.
"Where is she?" he asked again vaugely wondering why she hadn't bothered to activate her voicemail after all these years..
" Where's who Mulder?" came Scully voice from the doorway.
" Scully!" Mulder rushed to the door and crushed his small partner in an embrace. He then coughed, retreated to his desk and pretended to finish his already finished paperwork.
Scully stood by the door a very surprised look on her face. Mulder's sudden show of affection had surprised her, especially where their relationship now stood.
" Mulder?" she asked.
" What Scully?" he asked in an almost irritated voice.
" Nothing." she retreated to her desk , internally wounded.
The two partners did their separate work, interrupted only by the occasional cough or shuffle or sunflower-seedy noise from Mulder.
The silence was broken by the phone on Scully's desk ringing loudly.
" Scully." she answered.
" Dana?" Scully heard Robin's voice.
" Hey Robin. How are you?"
" Great thanks. Umm... I just phoned to say that I'd really like to take you up on that ' lets have cofffe again somtime' thing. So, would you like
to go out Saturday night."
" Umm... let me just check." Scully cradled the phone between her head and shoulder as she flipped through her pocket calender. Not really seeing the dates before her eyes, Scully knew she wasn't doing anything Saturday night, but she was still in love with Mulder.
He doesn't love you Dana. You were just his friend.
" Sure Robin, I'd love to go out with you on Saturday." she replied.
" Great, I'll pick you up at seven?"
" Sure."
" Until then Dana." Robin hung up.
Scully put the phone back in the cradle and looked up, only to lock her eyes with Mulder.
"Who was that?" he asked.
" You didn't hear?" she replied sarcastically, " you seemed to be listening hard enough."
Mulder shrugged and turned back to the piece of paper he was doodling on.
" It was Robin George." Scully continued. " I met him earlier and he's taking me out on Saturday night and _. " Scully broke off as she remebered Mulder's icy manner towards her lately.
Mulder frowned for a milisecond and then nodded slowly and smiled at her. She sounded so excited.
" Thats good, its about time you got you're life back on track after working with me for so long." his heart said the opposite, he didn't want her to go even though he knew she had to move on and meet new people.
" Mulder.." she began, not ready to listen to another one of his guilt trips, but she shut her mouth. None of what had happened to her was Mulder's fault and she had told him more than enough times. This conversation/argument was ritual for them and he'd heard her side of the story more than enough times.
Scully turned towards her computer and snuck a look at Mulder out of the corner of her eye. His face was clouded over and he seemed to be miles away. His eyes watered with what looked like unshed tears and his brow was furrowed up in a frown. Scully diverted her glance.
He wants you to see that Dana. He doesn't even need you anymore. He's found Samantha. Live a little. Have a life.
Scully fingers whizzed over the keyboard but she wasn't paying attention to the words. Her heart was breaking. She was torn. She walked out of their office for the second time that day.
He watched her go and then picked up the lone card with the name Robin George and a cellular number typed on it that she had accidently left behing on her desk. He studied it with intent.
XxX
Mulder miserably walked into his apamtment, didn't bother to shut the door and slumped down on his couch.
He had spent his day jogging round the park and shooting hoops at the gym. It was now Saturday afternoon and he felt like shit. Scully was going out with another man. He felt an ache in his chest and moaned in misery.
She had been so distant since their kiss on the New Year. She hadn't said anything about it. He assumed that she regretted it and sfter all, it had been him that leaned towards her in the first place. She had just responed like any other woman would have. It had felt so right when the were leaving her hospital. She had snuggled into his embrace, but when they were in the car, the walls had gone up and their relationship hadn't changed. From that moment on, Mulder could tell that they were on the road to the end. He could tell she had given up. She had put up with him for seven, nearly eight years. That'd be enought to drive anyone insane, he thought. After all the terror he had put her through, he didn't blame her really. But it hurt. It had hurt ever since the car trip home on January 1st but now it was becomming unbearable. It was if his heart was swelling, each day with love for her, but it was repelled by the concrete wall around her heart. There was no way in. He had stopped caring and learnt to accept that she would never love him back. He tried to cushion his pain building equally strong walls around his heart. Becomming equally bitter towards her in the process.
Suddenly a switch flicked inside his head. He had to try. Try and get her to at least hold a conversation with him, without him, or her breaking off mid-sentance and giving the other a cold icy glare.
He picked up the phone and pressed speedial one.
"Scully." came the answer as the phone was picked up.
" Hey Scully, It's me. "
" Mulder? Whats wrong." His heart twinged as concern laced her voice. At least she still cared about him.
" Umm.. nothing, can I come over.
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone.
" I'm about to go out, you know that."
" Oh.. umm.." all his confidence was taken by her harsh answer, " OK then, I guess I'll see ya Monday partner."
" Yeah, see you Monday Mulder." Scully hung up and Mulder let the phone drop from his hand onto the floor.
Mulders shoulders slumped but he wasn't giving up without a fight.
He picked the phone up again and dialed another number.
He let the phone ring for nine rings and then hung up.
Shortly his cell phone rang.
" Hi guys." Mulder answered.
" Mulder, whats up? You sound like shit."
" Yeah thanks Frohike. Put Langly or Byers on would you."
" Byers here. What did you do to insult Frohike, he's just walked off in a huff." Byers voice came over the phone.
" Byers. I need you to find out everything there is about a Robin George. I have his card here," Mulder picked up the card from where it had
been disgarded on the table. " It has his number and name but nothing else."
" Bring it over and we'll see what we can dig up. Why do you need to know about him anyway. Another Flukeman or Eddie Van Blundt?"
" That is official FBI bussiness." Mulder lied. " I'll be round soon."
XxX
Mulder stood with Langly, Byers and Frohike, huddled aroung a computer in the Lone Gunmen HQ.
" C'mon, guys." Mulder urged. " There must be something there?"
All three shook their heads simutaneously. If Mulder hadn't been so absorbed in his task he might have found it funny.
"Nope, nothing. There's the cell number and the name, just like on this card."
" Suppose he worked for the government, could he have erased all his data from the APB?"
" Its possible, but why."
" I don't know." said Mulder even though the begginings of a horrible idea had started to form in his mind. He sighed.
XxX
Scully breezed into the office on Monday morning with a lighter step to her walk.
" Morin' Mulder." she greeted her partner and sat down at her desk, sorting through the mail which he had put there not five minutes before.
Mulder watched her. The frown lines on her forehead were gone and he could see faint laughlines around her eyes and mouth. He suddenly
felt guilty. Guilty that he hadn't wanted her to be happy, to have a life.
" Did you have a good time on Saturday night?"
" Yeah." she answered him and there was no trace of hostility in her voice. She even flashed him a smile, which was a rare occurance these days. He confidence renewed by the smile he spoke again.
" So where does he work?"
Scullys features formed a frown,
" You know, now that you bring that up, I'm not sure. Every time I mentioned the his work he changed the subject." she laughed.
" I guess I'm a little paraniod, you know, I expect it comes naturally with working for you for so long."
Ouch, thought Mulder. That hurt.
" Would you ever leave?" he asked the question without even knowing his lips had moved.
Scully regared him in silence until he was forced to change the subject.
" You know," he lied through his teeth, " Langly was at that umm... place..where you met that.. ummm.. Robin George and souly for Frohikes sake he ran a background check on George. The guys didn't find anything. Nothing." he looked up and regretted what he had said when he became only too aware of the term ' to look daggers.' Mulder visibly winced as his partner regared him with a glare attached to her features.
" You checked up on him?! I knew I shouldn't have told you anything Mulder." she saw his mouth open as if he were about to defend himself so she raised a hand. " I know things have been strained between us Mulder, and I admitt that I don't like it and I'm sure you don't too. But you've made your decision, I've accepted it and so I'm moving on.. I don't like it, but I am." Mulder didn't make a sound, just collected his jacket, looked at Scully once and walked out.
XxX
He walked until his feet were numb with the cold. Until the first few snowflakes had turned into and inch of thick snow. He walked until his features were frozen.
He walked into the bar and sat down. Mulder watched as the couples talked and chatted over glasses of expensive wine, single men, drowned their sorrows of broken marriages in excessive amounts of alcohol, single women, sipped martinis' and pretended not to notice as the odd man looked them over. Mulder blocked it all out. Scully invaded his thoughts and heart as she had done for so long. He thought it would have changed for the better, not for the worse. Three men came to sit next to Mulder on the tall barstools.
They reminded him of the Lone Gunmen in a way. One short, one medium height and one tall.
" Where's George?" The medium sized one said as he checked his watch.
" Don't bet on him comming tonight Marvin, hes gotten himself a new woman, little redhead."
" I guess he'll be comming somewhere else then huh?!" the tall one spoke.
Mulder suddenly became very interested. He pretended to be overly intersted in the coster lying in front of him while listening to the three mens conversation.
After listening for about five minutes Mulder had learned that the three mens names, in height order were, Peter, Marvin and Garret and they all loved to bet at the races. He was becomming increasingly bored.
" So, whats George's woman called?" Marvin asked.
" I think he said her name was Dana.. Danni.. something like that, not too sure." Garret replied.
Mulder's ears pricked up and he ordered another drink.
" I hear shes an Fed. I looked her up and she works in that division.. umm.. The X-Files with Mulder. God knows he's interfered enough already. I told George he'd better drop her fast. Spender and Krycek wern't that please when he mentioned her either.
If he gets too attached to her, its gonna be hell for us. Mulder'll find out what we've kept from him for so long."
" The truth." finished Peter.
" That won't happen. You've got the wrong end of the stick mate." Garret said.
" George dosn't want her and Spencer and Krycek know that much. Hes doing it for us, so the secret will be kept, so Mulder won't find out."
XxX
He didn't even bother to knock on the door, he just used the key he'd always had and walked straight in.
As soon as he got inside he heard the sobs. Scully's sobs. He walked over to her bedroom door and pushed it open. Scully sat on her bed, her hands feeling the floor around the telephone reciever which had been dropped.
" Scully?" she froze at the sound of his voice.
" Mulder? Is that you?" she asked.
" Yes, its me. " he answered a little surprised as he could see her staring up at him in the dim lighting of her bedroom. He watched as Scully sat on the edge of her bed. He went over to join her. For the first time in weeks she accepted his embrace and snuggled into it, sniffling but not sobbing.
" Scully? Whats wrong?"
Scully stood up and walked out in the direction of the lightswitch. She ran her hand along the wall until she found it. Her room was suddenly bathed in light. Slowly she truned towards Mulder, she was sobbing violently.
" He blinded me."
END OF PART 1
Continued in Part 2
Please.. feed me back?
Author: Alien925
Disclamer: The X-Files and its characters belong to the creator Chris Carter and 1013. I'd never dream of stealing them, unless Chris Carter desperately wanted me to, in that case I wouldn't really mind.
Classification PG-15
Authors Notes: This fic is set in the past of the X-files. By this I mean before Mulder got abducted, Scully got pregnant, Dogget and Reyes came [ onto the team] and Skinner lost even more hair. Its not normally my nature to make Diana Fowley into a reasonably nice person as normally she's well hated in my fics, but this ones different. So sorry to the ones that hate the fowl. Oh and Amoureux, means ' in love' in French. This story is a bit sappy and that, also it doesn't really portray Scully how she really is, but for once I just thought, I'd write her in like this...
Summary: Terrible thing happen when misunderstandings occur.
Spoilers: Millenniumm
AMOUREUX [1/3]
Dana Scully fingered the gun at her side. She had spent the past half hour glaring at her partner and pondering on whether she should shoot him. Being Mulder, he hadn't noticed yet. She let out a melodramatic sigh, causing him to look up from his paperwork.
" Whats wrong Scully?" he asked innocently.
She glared at him again and walked out of the basement office slamming the door behind her, which led to the falling of files balanced on the very edge of a filing cabinet. Mulder watched as the papers swirled their way down to the ground.
What was wrong with her?
He didn't know so he shrugged his shoulders and bent his head back down towards his paperwork ingoring the mess on the office floor.
XxX
Scully walked through the Hoover building which buslted with FBI Agents. Some doing actual work, but most of them were just hanging round the watercooler telling dirty jokes. She ignored them all and made her way out into the cold winter street that matched her mood.
She manuvered herself past the odd group of tourists until she cam to the coffee shop where she and Mulder often took a break. Sighing at the
thought of Mulder, she pushed open the door, went inside and ordered a latte from the counter.
She sipped her hot drink and thought. Why had he failed to notice what he was doing?
It all rolled back to the New Year where they had shared their first real kiss in the reception of a hospital. Ironic really. She smiled at the thought.
They had walked out of the hospital like any other happy, satisfied couple. Mulder's arm slung accross her shoulder. Except, thats where it had ended. They had pretended that it hadn't happened. Ever since New Years, he had ignored her when they were alone, he refused to make eye contact with her, he didn't tease her like he used to either. That kiss had destroyed their friendship and althought they still worked in tandem, their partnership was slowly falling to pieces and she was sure that they both knew it.
The only reason she could think of, was that he regretted ever kissing her on the New Year, dispite their near kiss a few years ago and the sexual banter that had passed between them up until the Millennium. She didn't regret it, she had liked the kiss. She had known she was in love with Mulder for a long time, five or six years? - but she had never done anything about it. She had kept her mouth buttoned up, in fear that if she said anything, their friendship and patnership would be ruined. Now she knew the truth. She had been right to not say anything.
She had always imagined the senario whereby she would tell Mulder that she loved him and he would return her love. She had dreamed that over and over. Now she knew the truth, that he didn't *love* her, but loved her only as a friend, that fantasy came repelling back towards her, hitting her hard with a blow to her heart.
Scully sighed and tore herself away from her thoughts. She shook the unshed tears from her eyes and looked around the coffee shop. It was filled mostly with young couples, engaged in conversation over coffee. A lone man sat in an overstuffed armchair near the window. He was looking upon the crowded Washington street without interest. Scully noticed his dark features almost immediately. Thick, dark, neatly cut black hair crowned his head. Dark eyebrows grew over his warm hazel eyes. His straight nose towed above full lips and a prominant jaw line. He was wearing what looked like a vey expensive suit with a paisly tie. His polished shoes gleamed in the dull winter light comming in through the window. And an untouched mug of coffee sat on the table next to his chair. She was attracted to him at once.
As if the man could sense her staring at him, he turned round and met her stare. Their eyes locked for what seemed like years to Scully. He broke the contact and walked over to her seat.
"Robin George." he extended his hand towards her in greeting.
"Dana Scully." she smiled and shook his hand. Scully guestured to the seat next to her. He sat down.
Robin guestured to her suit,
" Government?" he asked and smiled when she nodded.
" Do you work for the them too?" Scully asked.
Robin heasitated, then chuckled
" I most certainly do Dana.." Scully nodded and said,
" Whats your bussiness?"
" If I told you, I'd have to kill you, and thats the last thing I want to do." was the reply.
Seeing Scully's shocked face he chuckled and said,
" Joke. It was a very bad joke. Sorry if I scared you."
" No, its Ok." Scully replied. Noticing Robin looking away uncomfortably she decided to change the subject.
" I like your tie." she pointed at the paisly pattern and cringed inwardly at the stupidity of her last remark.
" Thanks." he said almost shyly. Looking up at the clock on the wall Scully saw she had been gone lomg enough for Mulder to actually notice.
" I'd better be getting back or else my partner'll call out a search party or something." she said quietly.
Robin looked dissapointed.
" Ummm.. maybe we could get together for coffee or something again?" Scully said and held out her card, containing her home, office and cell phone number and home address. There was no harm in trying, now that she wouldn't be with Mulder.
" I'd like that." he answered simply and took the card, gave her his and waved to her slightly as she walked out of the door.
XxX
Mulder paced for the forty-fifth time up and down the floor of his office.
"Where the hell is she?" he asked nobody for the fifty-fifth time. Still pacing he grabbed the office phone and called her home number.
" Hi, this is Dana Scully, please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can." came the familiar answerphone message.
He made a frustrated sound and dialed her cell.
" The celluar customer you have dialed cannot be reached right_" Mulder hung up.
"Where is she?" he asked again vaugely wondering why she hadn't bothered to activate her voicemail after all these years..
" Where's who Mulder?" came Scully voice from the doorway.
" Scully!" Mulder rushed to the door and crushed his small partner in an embrace. He then coughed, retreated to his desk and pretended to finish his already finished paperwork.
Scully stood by the door a very surprised look on her face. Mulder's sudden show of affection had surprised her, especially where their relationship now stood.
" Mulder?" she asked.
" What Scully?" he asked in an almost irritated voice.
" Nothing." she retreated to her desk , internally wounded.
The two partners did their separate work, interrupted only by the occasional cough or shuffle or sunflower-seedy noise from Mulder.
The silence was broken by the phone on Scully's desk ringing loudly.
" Scully." she answered.
" Dana?" Scully heard Robin's voice.
" Hey Robin. How are you?"
" Great thanks. Umm... I just phoned to say that I'd really like to take you up on that ' lets have cofffe again somtime' thing. So, would you like
to go out Saturday night."
" Umm... let me just check." Scully cradled the phone between her head and shoulder as she flipped through her pocket calender. Not really seeing the dates before her eyes, Scully knew she wasn't doing anything Saturday night, but she was still in love with Mulder.
He doesn't love you Dana. You were just his friend.
" Sure Robin, I'd love to go out with you on Saturday." she replied.
" Great, I'll pick you up at seven?"
" Sure."
" Until then Dana." Robin hung up.
Scully put the phone back in the cradle and looked up, only to lock her eyes with Mulder.
"Who was that?" he asked.
" You didn't hear?" she replied sarcastically, " you seemed to be listening hard enough."
Mulder shrugged and turned back to the piece of paper he was doodling on.
" It was Robin George." Scully continued. " I met him earlier and he's taking me out on Saturday night and _. " Scully broke off as she remebered Mulder's icy manner towards her lately.
Mulder frowned for a milisecond and then nodded slowly and smiled at her. She sounded so excited.
" Thats good, its about time you got you're life back on track after working with me for so long." his heart said the opposite, he didn't want her to go even though he knew she had to move on and meet new people.
" Mulder.." she began, not ready to listen to another one of his guilt trips, but she shut her mouth. None of what had happened to her was Mulder's fault and she had told him more than enough times. This conversation/argument was ritual for them and he'd heard her side of the story more than enough times.
Scully turned towards her computer and snuck a look at Mulder out of the corner of her eye. His face was clouded over and he seemed to be miles away. His eyes watered with what looked like unshed tears and his brow was furrowed up in a frown. Scully diverted her glance.
He wants you to see that Dana. He doesn't even need you anymore. He's found Samantha. Live a little. Have a life.
Scully fingers whizzed over the keyboard but she wasn't paying attention to the words. Her heart was breaking. She was torn. She walked out of their office for the second time that day.
He watched her go and then picked up the lone card with the name Robin George and a cellular number typed on it that she had accidently left behing on her desk. He studied it with intent.
XxX
Mulder miserably walked into his apamtment, didn't bother to shut the door and slumped down on his couch.
He had spent his day jogging round the park and shooting hoops at the gym. It was now Saturday afternoon and he felt like shit. Scully was going out with another man. He felt an ache in his chest and moaned in misery.
She had been so distant since their kiss on the New Year. She hadn't said anything about it. He assumed that she regretted it and sfter all, it had been him that leaned towards her in the first place. She had just responed like any other woman would have. It had felt so right when the were leaving her hospital. She had snuggled into his embrace, but when they were in the car, the walls had gone up and their relationship hadn't changed. From that moment on, Mulder could tell that they were on the road to the end. He could tell she had given up. She had put up with him for seven, nearly eight years. That'd be enought to drive anyone insane, he thought. After all the terror he had put her through, he didn't blame her really. But it hurt. It had hurt ever since the car trip home on January 1st but now it was becomming unbearable. It was if his heart was swelling, each day with love for her, but it was repelled by the concrete wall around her heart. There was no way in. He had stopped caring and learnt to accept that she would never love him back. He tried to cushion his pain building equally strong walls around his heart. Becomming equally bitter towards her in the process.
Suddenly a switch flicked inside his head. He had to try. Try and get her to at least hold a conversation with him, without him, or her breaking off mid-sentance and giving the other a cold icy glare.
He picked up the phone and pressed speedial one.
"Scully." came the answer as the phone was picked up.
" Hey Scully, It's me. "
" Mulder? Whats wrong." His heart twinged as concern laced her voice. At least she still cared about him.
" Umm.. nothing, can I come over.
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone.
" I'm about to go out, you know that."
" Oh.. umm.." all his confidence was taken by her harsh answer, " OK then, I guess I'll see ya Monday partner."
" Yeah, see you Monday Mulder." Scully hung up and Mulder let the phone drop from his hand onto the floor.
Mulders shoulders slumped but he wasn't giving up without a fight.
He picked the phone up again and dialed another number.
He let the phone ring for nine rings and then hung up.
Shortly his cell phone rang.
" Hi guys." Mulder answered.
" Mulder, whats up? You sound like shit."
" Yeah thanks Frohike. Put Langly or Byers on would you."
" Byers here. What did you do to insult Frohike, he's just walked off in a huff." Byers voice came over the phone.
" Byers. I need you to find out everything there is about a Robin George. I have his card here," Mulder picked up the card from where it had
been disgarded on the table. " It has his number and name but nothing else."
" Bring it over and we'll see what we can dig up. Why do you need to know about him anyway. Another Flukeman or Eddie Van Blundt?"
" That is official FBI bussiness." Mulder lied. " I'll be round soon."
XxX
Mulder stood with Langly, Byers and Frohike, huddled aroung a computer in the Lone Gunmen HQ.
" C'mon, guys." Mulder urged. " There must be something there?"
All three shook their heads simutaneously. If Mulder hadn't been so absorbed in his task he might have found it funny.
"Nope, nothing. There's the cell number and the name, just like on this card."
" Suppose he worked for the government, could he have erased all his data from the APB?"
" Its possible, but why."
" I don't know." said Mulder even though the begginings of a horrible idea had started to form in his mind. He sighed.
XxX
Scully breezed into the office on Monday morning with a lighter step to her walk.
" Morin' Mulder." she greeted her partner and sat down at her desk, sorting through the mail which he had put there not five minutes before.
Mulder watched her. The frown lines on her forehead were gone and he could see faint laughlines around her eyes and mouth. He suddenly
felt guilty. Guilty that he hadn't wanted her to be happy, to have a life.
" Did you have a good time on Saturday night?"
" Yeah." she answered him and there was no trace of hostility in her voice. She even flashed him a smile, which was a rare occurance these days. He confidence renewed by the smile he spoke again.
" So where does he work?"
Scullys features formed a frown,
" You know, now that you bring that up, I'm not sure. Every time I mentioned the his work he changed the subject." she laughed.
" I guess I'm a little paraniod, you know, I expect it comes naturally with working for you for so long."
Ouch, thought Mulder. That hurt.
" Would you ever leave?" he asked the question without even knowing his lips had moved.
Scully regared him in silence until he was forced to change the subject.
" You know," he lied through his teeth, " Langly was at that umm... place..where you met that.. ummm.. Robin George and souly for Frohikes sake he ran a background check on George. The guys didn't find anything. Nothing." he looked up and regretted what he had said when he became only too aware of the term ' to look daggers.' Mulder visibly winced as his partner regared him with a glare attached to her features.
" You checked up on him?! I knew I shouldn't have told you anything Mulder." she saw his mouth open as if he were about to defend himself so she raised a hand. " I know things have been strained between us Mulder, and I admitt that I don't like it and I'm sure you don't too. But you've made your decision, I've accepted it and so I'm moving on.. I don't like it, but I am." Mulder didn't make a sound, just collected his jacket, looked at Scully once and walked out.
XxX
He walked until his feet were numb with the cold. Until the first few snowflakes had turned into and inch of thick snow. He walked until his features were frozen.
He walked into the bar and sat down. Mulder watched as the couples talked and chatted over glasses of expensive wine, single men, drowned their sorrows of broken marriages in excessive amounts of alcohol, single women, sipped martinis' and pretended not to notice as the odd man looked them over. Mulder blocked it all out. Scully invaded his thoughts and heart as she had done for so long. He thought it would have changed for the better, not for the worse. Three men came to sit next to Mulder on the tall barstools.
They reminded him of the Lone Gunmen in a way. One short, one medium height and one tall.
" Where's George?" The medium sized one said as he checked his watch.
" Don't bet on him comming tonight Marvin, hes gotten himself a new woman, little redhead."
" I guess he'll be comming somewhere else then huh?!" the tall one spoke.
Mulder suddenly became very interested. He pretended to be overly intersted in the coster lying in front of him while listening to the three mens conversation.
After listening for about five minutes Mulder had learned that the three mens names, in height order were, Peter, Marvin and Garret and they all loved to bet at the races. He was becomming increasingly bored.
" So, whats George's woman called?" Marvin asked.
" I think he said her name was Dana.. Danni.. something like that, not too sure." Garret replied.
Mulder's ears pricked up and he ordered another drink.
" I hear shes an Fed. I looked her up and she works in that division.. umm.. The X-Files with Mulder. God knows he's interfered enough already. I told George he'd better drop her fast. Spender and Krycek wern't that please when he mentioned her either.
If he gets too attached to her, its gonna be hell for us. Mulder'll find out what we've kept from him for so long."
" The truth." finished Peter.
" That won't happen. You've got the wrong end of the stick mate." Garret said.
" George dosn't want her and Spencer and Krycek know that much. Hes doing it for us, so the secret will be kept, so Mulder won't find out."
XxX
He didn't even bother to knock on the door, he just used the key he'd always had and walked straight in.
As soon as he got inside he heard the sobs. Scully's sobs. He walked over to her bedroom door and pushed it open. Scully sat on her bed, her hands feeling the floor around the telephone reciever which had been dropped.
" Scully?" she froze at the sound of his voice.
" Mulder? Is that you?" she asked.
" Yes, its me. " he answered a little surprised as he could see her staring up at him in the dim lighting of her bedroom. He watched as Scully sat on the edge of her bed. He went over to join her. For the first time in weeks she accepted his embrace and snuggled into it, sniffling but not sobbing.
" Scully? Whats wrong?"
Scully stood up and walked out in the direction of the lightswitch. She ran her hand along the wall until she found it. Her room was suddenly bathed in light. Slowly she truned towards Mulder, she was sobbing violently.
" He blinded me."
END OF PART 1
Continued in Part 2
Please.. feed me back?