Chapter 3:
The next morning John Doggett woke up in a strange bed, with a familiar yet unfamiliar scent around him. Opening his eyes, he saw Scully, still asleep on his bare chest. Her red hair brushed his chin with every breath he inhaled, and he smiled at her peacefulness.
She looked so serene and beautiful. For what it was worth, he was glad he could give her this moment of pure peace and security. He knew it was something to which she was not accustomed.
Doggett wrapped his arms around her tightly and allowed himself to smile. She wasn't the only one who was not used to this feeling of comfort.
His movements caused Scully to groan, and writhe on top of him as she too awoke. He waited until he was sure of her awareness of the situation.
"Morning," he said in a raspy voice.
His cheek stubble brushed her forehead lightly, causing her heart to inadvertantly warm. She opened one eye, and raised her head to look at him before she smiled.
"Morning yourself," she said sleepily before closing her eyes and nestling into his chest again.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
Scully took a deep breath before she answered honestly, "wonderful."
Doggett's smile widened at this response.
"I'm glad. You look wonderful."
Scully snorted in response.
"Yeah right. Here I am dishevelled and still sweaty, and I'm looking wonderful am I?"
"I've never seen you look more beautiful Dana," Doggett replied honestly.
The sincerity of his voice touched Scully, and looked at him directly.
Without any barriers, she tried to show him just how much he meant to her, and how cherished he made her feel. In the depths of her eyes Doggett for the first time was able to read her true emotions towards him. She confirmed his insight as she reached up to softly kiss him.
Doggett replied in turn, and held her closer to him. God, how he loved this woman.
He was just about to tell her so, when they both heard a loud tapping sound outside the bedroom.
Scully and Doggett tensed, and looked at each other before both jumping up and searching for their guns. They both hastily threw some clothes on, and then ran outside to the living room.
Passing two half-filled cups of coffee, they started looking around the room for anything unusual.
"Dana look, there's a note that's been passed under your door," said John pointing to a small white piece of paper on Scully's doorstep.
Scully went over to her door and picked it up. She turned to face John as she read it to herself.
He watched, and started to worry, as her face grew pale. She was quiet for awhile before she regarded him with unreadable eyes.
"Mulder's back."
John swore he felt his heart stop for a split second as his mouth went dry.
"Oh," was all he could say.
Scully kept her eyes trained on the piece of paper. She didn't know how much she should tell him, but considering all they had been through, she decided to tell him the whole truth. She knew he deserved it.
"We had pre-arranged for myself and William to eventually go into hiding with Mulder. I didn't know how much longer William and I would have to be in the public eye, and I couldn't risk him any longer. That's why I gave him up for adoption. I couldn't risk him any longer."
John nodded at this. "I know you had to do that for his sake Dana."
Scully looked at the note absently, "I only hope Mulder will know that."
Doggett felt his feet go cold at those words.
"You're going back to him." It was a statement.
Scully looked at him.
"I wasn't lying about what I said last light. I love you John."
Doggett's heart warmed slightly at this, but was still cold from knowing he would soon lose her... to him.
"I love you, but in this life I'm supposed to be with Mulder. It's a given," she paused, "I think you know that as well as I do."
"Fate," muttered Doggett.
He looked at her with sad eyes, but deep down inside him, he knew that she was right. For what it was worth, she and Mulder were destined to be together on this journey. That knowledge didn't make the hurt inside him any less painful and he opened his mouth to speak. Just as he did so, his mobile phone sounded.
Scully started before pulling it out of the breast pocket of his shirt, which she had hastily donned. She glanced at it before handing it to him.
"It's Monica."
John took the phone, his eyes not leaving hers.
"Hello?"
"Hi John, it's Monica. Where are you? I've been trying your home phone all morning."
"I uh, was out late and stayed at a friend's last night," he replied looking at Scully who smiled at him.
Monica paused before she started speaking again, "Oh, uh, listen, I got a call from a friend last night at the office just after you left about a potential X-File. Remember those hypotheses we were throwing around yesterday? Well, you seem to have some psychic powers there yourself; this person claims to have been able to travel through time. Now before you start," Monica rushed on, "there are precedented cases here about time travel, so it's not a first. I've been up all night doing some research. I think we should call Scully and get her opinion on this."
Doggett took a breath before he started, "Monica this really isn't the best time. I don't think Scully will be up to a case consultation right now anyway. How about I give you a call later this afternoon and we can maybe work something out? I'm good for it."
"Oh," replied Monica, obviously surprised at Doggett's reaction.
"Are you sure about Scully?" she continued. "Maybe I should call her to see if she has any interest at all in this case."
"Monica, call it Taziz's intuition, but I'm pretty sure this week-end won't be the best time for asking Scully for some insight on an X-File."
"Well, ok then if you think so. I'll hear from you later."
"Thanks Mon."
He hung up and looked at Scully who had been watching him all this time.
"I'm not the only one fated for someone," was all she said.
Doggett looked at her.
"We're both meant to be in different places aren't we?" he asked.
Scully nodded. "Sometimes your heart leads you away from your true destiny."
Doggett looked at her and realised the true impossibility of their relationship.
"I love you Dana."
"I love you John."
The next morning John Doggett woke up in a strange bed, with a familiar yet unfamiliar scent around him. Opening his eyes, he saw Scully, still asleep on his bare chest. Her red hair brushed his chin with every breath he inhaled, and he smiled at her peacefulness.
She looked so serene and beautiful. For what it was worth, he was glad he could give her this moment of pure peace and security. He knew it was something to which she was not accustomed.
Doggett wrapped his arms around her tightly and allowed himself to smile. She wasn't the only one who was not used to this feeling of comfort.
His movements caused Scully to groan, and writhe on top of him as she too awoke. He waited until he was sure of her awareness of the situation.
"Morning," he said in a raspy voice.
His cheek stubble brushed her forehead lightly, causing her heart to inadvertantly warm. She opened one eye, and raised her head to look at him before she smiled.
"Morning yourself," she said sleepily before closing her eyes and nestling into his chest again.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
Scully took a deep breath before she answered honestly, "wonderful."
Doggett's smile widened at this response.
"I'm glad. You look wonderful."
Scully snorted in response.
"Yeah right. Here I am dishevelled and still sweaty, and I'm looking wonderful am I?"
"I've never seen you look more beautiful Dana," Doggett replied honestly.
The sincerity of his voice touched Scully, and looked at him directly.
Without any barriers, she tried to show him just how much he meant to her, and how cherished he made her feel. In the depths of her eyes Doggett for the first time was able to read her true emotions towards him. She confirmed his insight as she reached up to softly kiss him.
Doggett replied in turn, and held her closer to him. God, how he loved this woman.
He was just about to tell her so, when they both heard a loud tapping sound outside the bedroom.
Scully and Doggett tensed, and looked at each other before both jumping up and searching for their guns. They both hastily threw some clothes on, and then ran outside to the living room.
Passing two half-filled cups of coffee, they started looking around the room for anything unusual.
"Dana look, there's a note that's been passed under your door," said John pointing to a small white piece of paper on Scully's doorstep.
Scully went over to her door and picked it up. She turned to face John as she read it to herself.
He watched, and started to worry, as her face grew pale. She was quiet for awhile before she regarded him with unreadable eyes.
"Mulder's back."
John swore he felt his heart stop for a split second as his mouth went dry.
"Oh," was all he could say.
Scully kept her eyes trained on the piece of paper. She didn't know how much she should tell him, but considering all they had been through, she decided to tell him the whole truth. She knew he deserved it.
"We had pre-arranged for myself and William to eventually go into hiding with Mulder. I didn't know how much longer William and I would have to be in the public eye, and I couldn't risk him any longer. That's why I gave him up for adoption. I couldn't risk him any longer."
John nodded at this. "I know you had to do that for his sake Dana."
Scully looked at the note absently, "I only hope Mulder will know that."
Doggett felt his feet go cold at those words.
"You're going back to him." It was a statement.
Scully looked at him.
"I wasn't lying about what I said last light. I love you John."
Doggett's heart warmed slightly at this, but was still cold from knowing he would soon lose her... to him.
"I love you, but in this life I'm supposed to be with Mulder. It's a given," she paused, "I think you know that as well as I do."
"Fate," muttered Doggett.
He looked at her with sad eyes, but deep down inside him, he knew that she was right. For what it was worth, she and Mulder were destined to be together on this journey. That knowledge didn't make the hurt inside him any less painful and he opened his mouth to speak. Just as he did so, his mobile phone sounded.
Scully started before pulling it out of the breast pocket of his shirt, which she had hastily donned. She glanced at it before handing it to him.
"It's Monica."
John took the phone, his eyes not leaving hers.
"Hello?"
"Hi John, it's Monica. Where are you? I've been trying your home phone all morning."
"I uh, was out late and stayed at a friend's last night," he replied looking at Scully who smiled at him.
Monica paused before she started speaking again, "Oh, uh, listen, I got a call from a friend last night at the office just after you left about a potential X-File. Remember those hypotheses we were throwing around yesterday? Well, you seem to have some psychic powers there yourself; this person claims to have been able to travel through time. Now before you start," Monica rushed on, "there are precedented cases here about time travel, so it's not a first. I've been up all night doing some research. I think we should call Scully and get her opinion on this."
Doggett took a breath before he started, "Monica this really isn't the best time. I don't think Scully will be up to a case consultation right now anyway. How about I give you a call later this afternoon and we can maybe work something out? I'm good for it."
"Oh," replied Monica, obviously surprised at Doggett's reaction.
"Are you sure about Scully?" she continued. "Maybe I should call her to see if she has any interest at all in this case."
"Monica, call it Taziz's intuition, but I'm pretty sure this week-end won't be the best time for asking Scully for some insight on an X-File."
"Well, ok then if you think so. I'll hear from you later."
"Thanks Mon."
He hung up and looked at Scully who had been watching him all this time.
"I'm not the only one fated for someone," was all she said.
Doggett looked at her.
"We're both meant to be in different places aren't we?" he asked.
Scully nodded. "Sometimes your heart leads you away from your true destiny."
Doggett looked at her and realised the true impossibility of their relationship.
"I love you Dana."
"I love you John."