True Happiness

by Jillian1

How long will it take for Scully to be in a relationship with someone else for Mulder to speak up about his feelings for her? A little Scully/other, but as always, MSR!!! Please R/R!

TITLE: True Happiness

AUTHOR: Jillian

RATING:

CATEGORY:

FEEDBACK: YES!!!!! Everything!

ARCHIVE: If you actually want this cliché hunk of junk, let me know at JILLIBEAN@aol.com

TIMELINE: Early early early season five or late late late season four, lol. No Mytharc involved, here. I suppose its AU.

SPOILERS: Umm, slight Never Again, I think that's really it.

SUMMARY: How long will it take for Scully to be in a relationship with someone else for Mulder to speak up about his feelings for her?

DISCLAIMER: Okay, I don't own Mulder or Scully or Skinner or the X-Files. They belong to CC, 1013, and FOX. I'm not making cash off of them (it's all in stock, you see.. Just kidding!) so don't sue me. The character Christopher is mine, but I'm sure you'll hate him, so you won't want to steal him from me anyway. And if you do--take him!

***AUTHORS NOTES: I REALLY want these notes read, lol. Shippers- don't worry, I won't let you down. Noromos- you won't like the end. I *know* this is a cliché type of topic, but I was bored to tears when I wrote it about two months ago, I think. Anyway, I'm not sure how much I like it personally, but that's what you guys are for. So, if you read it, I'd really really really appreciate feedback. This story does involve a serious Scully/other relationship, so if you're a rabid shipper and this causes you great emotional anguish, maybe you shouldn't read this, because I don't really need flames about Scully/other relationships to laugh at. Trust me, I'm *all* for MSR. You'll see by the ending. Also, for a complete listing of my work, click on my pen-name Jillian next to the story. Most others aren't like this one. Also, you can e-mail me if you're interested in reading more of my work at JILLIBEAN@aol.com. Thanks! Enjoy!

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The silent basement office was filled with tension, and the two agents avoided making eye contact. It had been a rough week, and all they had done was argue. According to Scully, Mulder was losing his mind with some of these theories. According to Mulder, Scully was a close-minded skeptic who couldn't admit he was right. The case ended, proving both of them wrong, so they both felt like idiots. It didn't make them any less pissed off that Skinner had chewed them out for the waste of time the case was. Angrily they typed away at their computers, Scully annoyed she didn't have her own desk to sit at and think about how angry she was, Mulder annoyed that Scully was probably thinking she needed her own desk.

"It's five o'clock, Scully, I'm going home." Mulder said, breaking the silence. He put on his coat and went to walk out.

"Mulder," Scully said, causing him to turn around. "Aren't you going to take the repot home with you, so you can finish it? Skinner wants it tomorrow." Scully said.

"I figured you could finish it up for me, you're better at paperwork than I am."

"Mulder, I don't have time to finish both our reports. You'd better finish yours on your own because I sure as Hell am not going to." She said, angrily.

"You don't have to get uppity about it, Scully." He said. "I didn't know you were such a busy woman, that's all." He said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked angrily. "It's Friday night, Mulder, is it completely impossible that I have plans?"

"I'm not getting into this now, Scully. I'm going home, have a good time with your plans tonight."

"You act like the plans don't exist! I have plans tonight!" She said, defensively.

"Okay! Agent Scully has a date! Big deal!"

"Take your paperwork home, Mulder, I'm not doing it. I _do_ have a date tonight, whether you think I'm capable of getting one or not."

Picking up the papers, he said sarcastically, "Have a lovely weekend."

Dana Scully wanted to scream but she held her tongue as he walked out of the office. She didn't even want to go on this damn date, her mother had set her up with "a nice young man" she knew. Mrs. Scully seemed to think Dana's time to met a man and marry was... Dwindling away. Inside, Scully knew it was. She didn't want to date, she always had her heart set on somebody else. That somebody else might as well have ripped her heart out of chest, because according him, Dana Scully was the dateless wonder! He had no idea what he did to her, she had honestly believed she loved him. As a matter of fact, she was nearly convinced she loved him. When he acted like this, though, she felt like she had no chance in the world with Fox Mulder.

She wanted to cry. "Agent Scully has a date! Big deal!" The words rang in her ears. She was hoping he would have been hurt that she had a date, or at least happy for her. The way she would've reacted if he had a date--outwardly happy for him, inwardly wishing she was dating him. Apparently, he didn't feel the same way. Dana Scully doesn't waste time, the agent told herself. She'd move on. Besides, maybe this guy wouldn't be all that bad.

She finished her report in a timely fashion as always, and left. Dana wanted to look her best tonight. She showered, blow dried her hair so it framed her face perfectly, applied her makeup and slipped into the black, spaghetti strap dress. They were going out to an expensive restaurant, this mystery man of hers was a doctor. "Professional, Dana, he's devoted to medicine. He's got money." Her mother had told her, last Sunday when she went to visit her. Dana had expressed that she was unsure of getting into relationships because she wouldn't be able to have any children. "I don't think he wants children, he's hard working and has a busy schedule. He wouldn't be able to devote himself to them. He could devote himself to you, Dana, you both work long hours but when you'd be together..." Her mom had said. Dana agreed to see him but she had told her mother she wasn't promising anything.

Ready to go and looking fabulous, Dana waited. He was going to pick her up. She knew nothing about him other than what her mother had mentioned and that his name was Christopher. Then, she heard a knock at her door. Getting up, she walked over and looked through the peep hole. A handsome man in an expensive suit. *Must be him,* she thought. She opened the door and he smiled. He had chestnut brown hair and brown eyes, and a great facial structure.

"Hi, Dana." He said.

"Hi, you must be Christopher." She said. He extended his hand and they shook. She liked him, he wasn't too forward.

"Yes, and if I may say so, you are even more beautiful than Mrs. Scully told me you were." He said.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Yes, just let me get my bag." She said, retrieving her pocket book, and locking the door behind her. She tried her best not to think about Mulder, and left with Christopher for the restaurant.

Mulder was sitting at his desk, angrily typing away at his computer. *Stupid case report... She couldn't just finish it for me? All right, maybe I was being a little bit of a jerk, but still. She was being a bitch all week, for no reason. What's that about? And now this date thing? I mean, I didn't mean to offend her but I haven't known of any dates for Scully since that tattoo thing down in Philly. I probably really pissed her off. It's not that I don't think she can get a date, I just was hoping she didn't want one. She's beautiful, smart, charming, of course she deserves a date. Anybody who treats her better than I do. She probably thinks I hate her or think she's ugly or something. I should call her.*

He picked up the phone and dialed her number. It rang six or seven times before going to the machine. "Scully, it's Mulder. I knew you'd be out but I figured I'd leave a message, um, we should probably talk so give me a call. If you don't get around to it, I'll see you tomorrow before the meeting with Skinner. Bye."

Of course she wasn't home. She had a date. And it wasn't with him.

Dana Scully enjoyed dinner more than she had expected. It had been a long time since she had gone out with anybody on a date. She liked the compliments, she liked the romance, the nervousness. Would he kiss her? Would he ask if she wanted to go to his place? What if he moved too fast? What if he moved too slow? How fast did she want to move? She didn't know. She liked him, a lot. Mulder kept lingering in her mind but she knew she couldn't have him, he didn't want her. The dinner was wonderful, good food and even better wine. It was soon over and he led her back to his car, a Mercedes E Class. He definitely had money, she thought to herself.

"I had such a wonderful time with you tonight, Dana." He told her as he drove along.

"I had a great time, too." She said, smiling.

He pulled up in front of her apartment.

"Let me walk you upstairs." He said.

"Thank you." She said. He took her hand and up they went. They reached her door and stopped.

"Goodnight, Dana."

"Goodnight, Christopher."

Before she knew it, she was getting her goodnight kiss. It was a good kiss, too. Long, but not too long. Passionate, but nothing that said let's get inside and rip off our clothes. A polite, wonderful kiss. There weren't quite fireworks in Scully's head, but she knew he would make a good boyfriend or even husband. He wasn't a bad kisser, either. The kiss was over and he smiled. "I'll call you tomorrow, Dana. I'd really like to see you again."

"I'd like to see you, too."

"Wonderful." He said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, then. When will you be home from your meeting?"

"Well, it's an early meeting and I have nothing to do after, so, early afternoon. The latest three o'clock."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Bye, Christopher." She said.

"Bye, Dana." He replied, walking down the hall.

She shut the door behind her and smiled. It had been a lovely evening. He was smart, funny, and nice. Had he invited her into his house or implied he wanted to go inside hers, she would have obliged. She was glad he wasn't jumping into things, though. She walked over to the phone to check her messages. One. It was Mulder.

"Scully, it's Mulder. I knew you'd be out but I figured I'd leave a message, um, we should probably talk so give me a call. If you don't get around to it, I'll see you tomorrow before the meeting with Skinner. Bye."

It was early enough to call him back, but she deleted the messages. *That's what he gets for being a jerk,* she thought. *I'm not going to get around to it.* She sat down on the couch, thinking. She knew she didn't feel anything really special with Christopher from the kiss, but he seemed like a good man. He had a steady job, he had money, he was kind, and they had fun together. She could stand to be with him, which said a lot. Mulder continuously lingered in her mind, but she saw him simply as something she could never possess--because of work, because of friendship, because he didn't seem to have any feelings about her. She always thought she loved Mulder, but she also always wanted to get married.

Dana Scully was content at the moment, sitting on her couch in her empty, silent apartment. She wanted to reconcile with Mulder, but she figured she ought to make him wait. Make him think the date was going even better than it had gone. She changed into her pajamas and grabbed the New England Journal of Medicine she had just received. She felt like a teenager, because she kept thinking about the date. *He could be good for you, Dana. It could work.* In a way, she was trying to convince herself, so that she wouldn't spend her life wanting Mulder when he so clearly didn't feel the same way.

Standing outside Skinner's office, Mulder looked down at his watch. It was unlike him to get there before Scully. Just as the thought ran through his mind he watched her walk down the hall and approach him. She flashed him a brief smile, no teeth though. She never smiled with her teeth as she approached him in the hallway, he supposed it made her look happier to see him than she really was. They sat down in the seats outside the office to wait to be called in.

"Hey, Scully, I'm sorry about yesterday. It was a stupid fight, I hope we can forget about it." Mulder said, after mentally figuring out the best way to apologize.

"Apology accepted, Mulder." She said. "Did you finish your report?" She asked.

"Yeah, finally." He grinned. "So, uh, how was your date last night?" He asked, smiling. More like the playful Mulder he usually was, but feeling much more depressed. He had always wanted to be with Scully... And he doubted she ever knew.

"Very nice, I must say." She said, thinking only that the date hadn't upset him, so he clearly didn't want her. "I had a wonderful time."

"That's nice." He replied. "If he gives you any trouble, Scully..." He said, trying to look tough.

"Sure, Mulder. You'll be the first person I call." She said, smiling.

"AD Skinner will see you now." Kimberly said, from the other side of the room.

Mumbling a quiet thank you to the secretary, they walked into the room, prepared to be questioned, and possibly reprimanded for the waste of time their last case was. They sat quietly and took all that Skinner dished out, Mulder occasionally trying to say something but only getting yelled at. When he was finished, Skinner simply said "That's all, Agents." They left, happy to be off for the rest of the day.

"So Scully, you wanna grab something to eat for lunch?" Mulder asked as they walked down the hallway.

"I can't Mulder, I kind of have plans." She said.

"Oh, with the date?" Mulder asked.

"Yes, with the date." She replied matter-of-factly.

"Does this guy have a name or what?" Mulder asked.

"Christopher." Scully said.

"Well, have a nice time with him. I'll see you Monday, okay?"

"Yeah, see you then. Thanks for the offer for lunch." She smiled.

"No problem. Maybe another time." He said, as they went their separate ways.

Scully didn't know if she'd ever understand Mulder. One minute he was being a jerk and the next he was asking her to get some lunch. She knew it was a friend type of thing, but still. He hadn't been acting very friendly lately. She got in her car and drove to her Georgetown apartment. As she got to her door, she heard the phone ring. Quickly shoving the key in the door she trotted into the apartment and over to the phone.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Hi, is this Dana?"

"It is." She said.

"Hi, Dana, it's Christopher." He said.

"Oh, hey Christopher." She said.

"How was your day?" He asked.

"Well, the boss wasn't thrilled with our last case, but he didn't give us that bad of a lecture." She said.

"Us? You have a partner?" He asked. Scully suddenly realized she'd never mentioned Mulder to him before. She almost felt guilty that she hadn't discussed someone who was really her best friend with him.

"Oh, yeah, Agent Mulder. He's a good friend of mine, but nothing more." She said, silently wishing he was something more.

"Oh, okay then. Well, would you like to go out for lunch, Dana? I know a casual little place nearby."

"Yeah, that sounds great. I just need to change." She said.

"Okay, how about I pick you up in a half hour?" He asked.

"Sure, that sounds nice. I'll see you then, Christopher."

"See you then, Dana." He said, hanging up the phone.

Changing into a pair of blue jeans and a navy blue sweater, she quickly re-applied some makeup and fixed her hair. Throwing on a pair of heels, she sprayed on some perfume. With miraculous timing, he arrived at her door. He knocked and she let him in. He kissed her hello. A regular kiss at first, but he wrapped his arms around her. It was like the kiss they shared last night. He pulled away and said he'd been thinking about her a lot. She just smiled. They walked out hand in hand to get lunch.

Lunches turned to more dinners, and dinners turned to drinks. Drinks turned to going back to "his" place or "her" place for a few more drinks. All the while, Mulder would ask how things were, secretly and selfishly wishing they would go downhill. That he could have another chance with her. That he could make up for all that he could have given her, could have told her. He could have had her, and he didn't even know it. He didn't know how she felt, and he didn't know if she ever knew how he really felt. Eventually, things became serious between Dana and Christopher.

"Dana, I know that both of us have been having a good time with one another." He had said as they walked along the streets of DC. "And I know we haven't been seeing anybody else all the while. Just for the hell of it, I figured we could, you know, make it official. Can we be," He paused to look at her. "Exclusive?" He asked.

"Of course, Christopher. We might as well be, being that we're only seeing each other." She smiled. He kissed her lips lightly. She had gotten used to his kiss. It was something she could live with. Not something she truly loved, but she was growing to enjoy it. She couldn't have what she really could love.

Mulder had a case file to bring Scully that Saturday afternoon. It was about two o'clock when he decided to drop by her place on his way home from the office, where he had been finishing up the loose ends on the case file. He wanted it too look like he had put a lot of work into it. He didn't think she'd believe the claims in it that a man hadn't really been sleepwalking when he killed his wife, as he had claimed, but had been controlled by aliens to do it, and that he'd do it again to somebody else. He walked up to her door and knocked. Expecting Scully, he was surprised to see the face of a man at her door.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah, I'm Agent Scully's partner." He used to Agent before her name because he might have found it odd that he called her just 'Scully.'

"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm Christopher, Dana's boyfriend." He extended his hand and Mulder shook it. Boyfriend? That sounded so teenage to Mulder. He never pictured Scully with a boyfriend.

"Call me Mulder. You're a lucky man, Christopher. I've known her a long time now, she's a fabulous woman." Mulder smiled, even though he was thinking about how much he truly hated and envied this man.

"Oh, hey Mulder." Scully said, walking up to the door. "Would you like to come in?" She asked, not really knowing how to handle the situation without making Christopher jealous of Mulder uncomfortable.

"Well, uh, I just came to drop off this case file. We're going to start looking into tomorrow, I'm going to order some tickets out to Georgia, okay?" He asked.

"Sure, Mulder." She said, taking the file. "Thanks for dropping by. I'll see you Monday, all right?" She asked.

"Yeah, see you then. Have a nice weekend, you two." Mulder said, raising his eyebrows and trying to keep up his act of being a good hearted individual. Someone who didn't secretly, selfishly, want Scully all to himself.

A week passed in this fashion. Then two weeks. Then a month. Mulder watching Scully become happier in the office, and spending less time with him. More time with Christopher. Mulder felt that their friendship was dwindling a little, and it bothered him. A lot. Scully honestly felt the same way, but she was swept up in the relationship. Sure, it wasn't what she really wanted--but she couldn't have that so she'd better take something before she was too old to get anything at all. This was better than something, he was a good person. He treated her with respect, he had a steady, well paying job, and a beautiful home. She liked him a lot, she cared about him, and he cared about her. She could deal with that. But she didn't know how much she could deal with.

"Dana, I know it's only been about three months..." Had it been three months? Had all that time gone by? "But I'm sure about this. I love you."

He LOVED her? She started to panic. She didn't want to hurt him, but she knew she didn't love him.

"I," She paused. She had to say it. She just didn't want to hurt him. "I love you, too." He kissed her lips softly, but this time she didn't even truly feel content. She felt like a liar, she was a liar. She loved Mulder, even though she felt like there wasn't a chance he felt the same way. Sure, Christopher was nice, but she didn't love him. Maybe, maybe she could make herself love him. She needed somebody to spend her life with, a childhood fear of hers was never getting married. She knew it was sexist, and that she was an successful independent female, but she didn't want to die alone.

A week from that day passed, and it would turn out to be the worst morning of Fox Mulder's life. She walked into the office, smiling. She looked unsure, but smiling nonetheless. He looked up as she walked in, and noticed she had two coffees. She smiled and said good morning, handing him the coffee. "I have some, uh, news, Mulder." She said, handing him the coffee.

*No. God, no.*

He saw it when she handed him the coffee. A ring. An engagement ring.

"Christopher asked me to marry him." She smiled.

He was speechless. Downright speechless. He stood up, but he wasn't sure where he was going. He looked at her. He didn't want to upset her, he had to say something.

"Oh, um, wow. Isn't it kind of soon?" He asked.

"It is, but we aren't getting any younger." She replied.

"Well, if you're happy, that's great, Scully, congratulations." He said, taking an arm in each hand. She looked up at him and hugged him, and he hugged back.

"This won't, uh, change around our working arrangements, will it?" He asked.

"No, Mulder. I'd never leave you and the X-Files. I hope it won't change our friendship." She said.

Inside he was thinking *It already has. We barely ever see each other after work now.* He just said "Of course it won't. So have you decided when?" He asked.

"Sometime soon. Maybe about a month from now. Nothing big. You'll be invited, of course." She had smiled. And then they got to work.

The rest of the day he thought miserably about how he had lost his chance to have her. She thought about how she was really just settling for second best. She couldn't have him, she reminded herself. She truthfully wondered why she had said yes to Christopher. Inside, she knew she didn't love him. She made herself think she did. Sure, the relationship was satisfying--in more ways than one. She felt loved, she felt wanted, she was happy, and the sex was good. She hadn't had any since the Philadelphia tattoo fiasco, so any sex was good at that point. They'd only slept together a few times, but all she'd thought about was Mulder--what she had convinced herself she couldn't have. So she stayed with Christopher--what she'd convinced herself she really needed.

A week and a half passed. He didn't know what to do with himself. He cried over it, he screamed over it. She smiled a lot. Little did he know she was just trying to convince herself she was happy. The wedding was scheduled. It was a little over a week away. He hated himself. Scully was always with Christopher, it seemed. He couldn't take it, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Thoughts raced through his mind as he drove home from work.

*She's going to get married and I'm never going to know how she feels about me. Everybody is excited about this except me. I know I should be thrilled for her, apparently she loves him, but I'm not. I'm a selfish son of a bitch who lost his chance with perfection. With Dana Scully. Shit, I don't even know this guy's last name! Will she take his name? I'll still call her Scully. Just to hold on to the way things used to be, as we slowly drift apart. I can't let this happen. I can't just never know how she felt about me. I can't. I can't let her think I never loved her--I have. I do. I always will. I have to tell her.*

He turned his car around, he was heading to Georgetown. He parked on the street and ran to her apartment door. He knocked, like a madman. He needed to talk to Dana Scully. He needed to tell her before his chance was really gone. She came to the door quickly, alone. Suddenly he wasn't as sure of himself. Was this guy home? He hoped not.

"Hey, Mulder, what's up?" She asked.

"Scully, is Christopher here?" He asked.

"No, he's visiting his mother today. Why?" She asked, looking concerned.

"I, uh, I need to talk to you." He said.

"Okay, um, come in." She said, walking to the couch. He sat down next to her.

"I have to tell you something, Scully. I don't expect you to say or feel anything, but I need to tell you this. I love you. With all of my heart. I've wanted to be with you for so long, now... I, uh, I never realized how much I wanted to be with you until you were with somebody else. I know I should have said something, and that I've been a jerk to you more than once, but I always assumed there would be more time. Now, there isn't. I don't expect anything of you after hearing this, I don't want to ruin what you have with him. I just needed to tell you I felt that way. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters." He said.

"I'm not happy, Mulder." She said, tears in her eyes. "I mean, I'm content, he's a wonderful man, I'm not happy. I don't love him, I love you. I never, I never thought you loved me." She was crying.

"Of course I do... Don't cry. It's okay." He said.

"It's not okay, you know that. We've made such a mess of everything. I mean, we could have had each other and instead I promised myself to somebody else! I didn't want to be alone, Mulder. What do I tell him now? What do I tell my mother? The wedding guests?" She asked.

"The truth, Scully." He said, holding her. "You can marry him, but you wouldn't be happy. I don't want to see that. I want to see you happy. If he made you happy, I'd gladly watch you get married but he doesn't so I can't. Just tell him the truth."

"I've always known the truth, Mulder." She smiled, looking at him.

"Yeah, so have I." He said, kissing her lips. She felt the fireworks that were missing with Christopher. He felt them too, they felt them together. They also felt another presence in the room.

"DANA?!" Christopher screamed.

"Shit," Mulder said, so that only Scully could hear it.

"Christopher, I can explain..." She said.

"So is this how it's been all along, huh? You two been doing it under my nose? I can't believe I believed you when you told me it was platonic. Were you going to keep doing this?"

"It was platonic until about two minutes ago, Christopher! I, I never knew. I always loved him. I was wrong to lead you on, but I thought I could never have him..."

"So I was a consolation prize?" He yelled.

"I know I was wrong, damnit! I'm sorry! I can't marry you." She said, her voice rising a few decibels. She took the ring off of her finger. She felt an amazing burden being lifted. The albatross around her neck was gone.

"You loved him all along... But it was platonic? How am I supposed to believe you, when you're cheating on me? How am I supposed to believe that you're not just some tramp, Dana? Maybe that's all you are." He yelled.

"Hey, buddy, back off." Mulder said, rising to his feet. "You don't call her any names, you got it?" He said.

"You can believe that's what I am if you want, if it will make you feel better." She said. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Christopher. I liked you a lot and I cared about you, but I'm not in love with you. I'm sorry that I lied about that, it was wrong. I'm sorry I let it get this far." She said, holding out the ring to him. He snatched it angrily from her small hand.

"Yeah, me too." He said, calming slightly. "Needless to say, the weddings off, huh?" He received two nods in the affirmative. "I'm leaving, Dana, I'll notify my guests and you can notify yours. You know, I really thought you were the one. Who would of thought you'd do this... Who would of that you weren't that innocent or sweet after all."

"Christopher, please, don't make this any harder... I wasn't with him while I was with you, I swear, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She said. She had broke this mans heart.

"Goodbye Dana." He said, simply.

"Goodbye, Christopher." She whispered meekly.

She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, she just sobbed. Loud, heavy, breathy sobs. He just held her, telling her it was okay now, it was all over. They both truly knew it wasn't over, she would have to tell everybody she wasn't marrying him. That she was in love with someone else. Looking up at Mulder, the sobs began to subside.

"I never meant to hurt anybody, Mulder. He was a good person, I could have lived him--I would have. I mean, to an extent I'll miss him. I just, I never knew that all along we felt the same way about each other. I thought you'd never want me--we'd fought so many times, you'd made it seem like you didn't love me..."

"I did, Scully, I do. I tried to hide my hurt when you started dating Christopher by pretending not to care, or to be surprised, or by making jokes. I didn't know what to do, I thought I was being selfish. I always knew I loved you, but I never realized how much until I found myself at a moment when maybe there wouldn't be anymore chances."

"What are we going to do now, Mulder?" She asked, through tears.

"Whatever we've got to do. Cancel the wedding, send back the dress, tell the guests..."

"Christopher must be humiliated. He probably thinks all along you and I have been..." She trailed off.

"He should consider himself lucky. I was about to hit him in the face when he started with the name calling. He's lucky he had you, even for a little while."

"I almost made a huge mistake, Mulder. I would have been stuck in a loveless marriage. I mean, I didn't mind being with him, it was a satisfying enough relationship, but my heart always belonged to you."

"And mine to you." He answers.

"I'm sorry, Mulder." She said quietly.

"Why?" He asked, holding her and running his fingers through her hair.

"I feel like, like I cheated on you..." She sighed.

"Don't. I should be sorry... For not telling you until it was almost too late."

"I probably would have never told you... I would have just always thought I had no chance."

"And that, I am sorry for. I waited too long to let you know you always had a chance."

"I love you, Mulder." She sighed.

"I love you too." He said. He just held her there until all the tears and pain subsided, and she slept peacefully in his arms. Now, they were more than just content--they were both truly happy.