**Sorry for the delay again…writers block is getting a bit serious. Last time I had this it lasted 2 years…2 years without writing AAAGGGHHH**
A sharp wind pulled at Mulders tie as he walked briskly across the hospital car park. The light black material danced in the air before landing over his shoulder and draping down his back. He pulled open the car door and jumped in quickly, needing to get away from the hospital smells, the foul stench of frailty clinging to his nostrils while he drove distractedly out onto the freeway.
His mind swirled with her image, her smiles, her kisses and then her dismissal, playing for him with torturous clarity. He shook his head as if he could physically rid himself of the images and concentrated on the street signs until he found the correct house. Forcing himself into a professional mode he fixed his tie and stepped out of the car, glancing around in wonderment at the large three-storey house before him. The long winding driveway was lined garishly with tall trees and plants. He turned towards the house already pulling his ID badge out of his pocket when the door was pulled open from the inside.
"I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI, I'd like to speak to Sally Ryan."
The young suited man smiled politely and led him silently into the hallway and disappeared in search of Sally, Mulder hoped.
"Mr Mulder?" Sally said tentatively when she came around the corner. "Did they find him?"
"No, no we didn't," he said softly hating to see the look of hurt crawl over her small features.
"What can I do for you?" she asked, as if suddenly remembering her manners.
"I wanted to ask you about Billy's medical history."
"Why?"
"We think he may have been involved in some illegal testing."
"What kind of testing?"
"We're not sure, the information is inconclusive."
"Inconclusive? You come to my house to tell me my nephew has been used as lab rat for someone's sick tests and then you tell me it's inconclusive?" she shouted angrily.
"I'm afraid that I don't know what to tell you." Mulder kept looking at her, holding her angry stare with as much consolation as he could.
"He's just a little boy," she said quietly, her hands covering her mouth to catch any cries that may escape.
"I understand what you are going through."
"How could you?" she shouted at him her anger finding footing again.
"I lost someone too. My sister, when she was eight."
"Oh…I'm sorry I didn't mean…"
"I just want to help and anything you can tell us about Billy's medical history would be much appreciated."
"Okay," she conceded gesturing for him to follow as she walked into a different room. "When Billy came to live with me I had all his personal belongings including his medical papers shipped out here. No point going into this blind."
She brought him into a large library that was covered wall to wall and floor to ceiling with books. A great ornate desk stood near the bay windows at the back of the room and she made her way over to it pulling a key from her pocket. Leaning down to reach the bottom drawer she unlocked it and reached into it for a fat folder.
"This lists everything he's taken from baby aspirin to the medical procedures he had after the crash."
"Wow, that's a big medical case file."
"His parents were both scientists and believed in documentation."
Mulder opened the folder she had placed next to him and scanned through it leafing past pages of drugs and injections, suddenly realising the frequency of Billy's hospital visitation.
"Was Billy a sick child?"
"Not overly. He was always a little tired, weak maybe, but he was studying years ahead of himself in school and his parents did push him a little."
"It says here he had an operation when he was four."
"He cracked his skull, falling from a bike. Had to have it fused."
"It says here Dr Richard Mayfair, San Francisco did the operation."
"Yes, all the details will be in that folder."
"Would it be okay if I took this folder to show my partner? She's a medical doctor and I'm sure it would make much more sense to her."
"Of course."
Mulder hefted the big folder into his arms and held it close to his chest as she showed him to the door.
"Thanks Ms Ryan, I'll get this back to you as soon as I can."
"Agent Mulder?" she called before he could make it to the bottom on the stairs.
"Yes?" he turned to face her.
"Did they find her? Your sister?"
He opened his mouth to answer but the look on his face told her all she needed to know. The pain and guilt swimming with frustration and anger contorted his features in familiar expressions of hopelessness. Silently she looked away and closed the door.
***
Scully walked over to the x-ray bay and held the small picture up to it. Shaking her head slowly she was filled with a sense of horror that she found hard to disguise. Leafing through Billy's x-ray booklet she saw all the head x-rays he'd had during his stay at the hospital after the plane crash. The large metal plate was covering most of the right side of his brain and seemed to also be attached to his top vertebrae on his spine.
The neurologist had willingly shown her the files and even spoke to her about the metal plate that would be needing replacement soon as Billy's Skull grew and developed. She asked why it had been inserted but his information was vague. She needed to contact the hospital in San Francisco where the procedure took place to get all the proper details.
Returning to Billy's bedroom she found Byers attaching a small handheld device to the bed and wondered briefly what he was doing. But before she could ask her phone rang and she stepped out of the room to answer it.
"Scully, it's me," he said clearly, his voice ripping through her like lava.
"What have you got?"
"A really big detailed medical file. You?"
"A splitting headache," she replied tersely before she could stop herself.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I was just speaking to the neurologist and it seems that he knows about the metal plate in Billy's head."
"He'd have to for the CT Scan," he said trying to ignore the tiredness in her voice.
"But we need to contact San Francisco for the details."
"You might want to take a look at this file before you spend hours on the phone getting the run around."
"Where are you?"
"I'm just getting on the freeway."
"Shall I meet you back at the hotel."
"Wait there I'll pick you up."
"But-," she argued but he had already hung up. Dammit. She wasn't ready to face him yet. She hadn't sifted through all her thoughts or feelings he was stirring up in her, but evidently he was ready.
As she wandered back into the room she watched the three men walking around the bed in measured movements. Her energy drained from her body and she sighed. Unable to form thoughts coherent enough to have a conversation she waved goodbye to them before making her way down to the front entrance to wait for Mulder. Leafing incredulously though the x-ray file she didn't notice when the familiar silver Taurus pulled up beside the doorway. Mulder looked out the window and saw her bent head; her slumped shoulders and withdrawn expression and he promised himself he'd keep it professional. No matter how hard her hair called out to be mussed by his hands or her parted lips begged to be kissed roughly and especially no matter how much he knew her body would fit perfectly next to his.
As if feeling his scrutiny she looked up and smiled weakly at him. It was a half smile he knew well, from when she was doing it for him and not because she felt it. He climbed out of the car and walked around to open the door for her. Wordlessly she stepped past him and into the seat pulling her belt around her. The car jostled when he sat into it and with only a cursory glance he started the engine and pulled out of the hospital and into the street.
The drive was thankfully short and they made it in silence. After parking close to the hotel entrance Mulder walked around to the boot and started to gather the clothes he's strewn in there earlier and the laptop while Scully collected the large folder from the back seat and waited for him by the front of the car. They walked side-by-side in through the large revolving door and aimed towards the elevator. Mulder made a conscious effort not to touch her back, at one point reaching out and disguising the gesture as a scratching motion on his chest. As they passed by the reception desk the lady in service called out to them.
"Mr Scully?" she called. "Mr Scully?"
He glanced at Scully who was looking at him in amusement as he crossed the short distance to the desk.
"We have another room for you. You asked for two rooms, do you still want them?"
"Eh…yeah," he said dropping the bag to the floor and taking the registration form.
"It's room 2125, it's on the same floor as Dr Scully's."
"Thank you." He took the key from her and she smiled widely noting the distance between the couple that previously had been so close.
Mulder caught up with Scully who was waiting for him by the elevator and smiled at her, dangling the key in his hand.
"Look like you might get a good nights sleep tonight."
"No snoring to disturb me," she said as she pressed the floor button.
"No kicking to disturb me," he added, getting rewarded by a hint of a playful glare and a jerk of her eyebrow.
They shared a secret smile again and he realised she was turning things back to the way they used to be. Simple flirtations that meant nothing, glances and lingering touches that led nowhere. And he felt his heart sinking. The vibrant beating rhythm that it had possessed since he kissed her last night in the rain had started to slow down and fade. They walked through the halls and he stood by her as she opened her door.
"I'll just drop my stuff in the room and I'll be back here in a few minutes to go over the stuff with you."
"Give me half an hour Mulder, I'd like a shower after flying to Washington and back," she said her eyes darting around the hallway looking anywhere but at him.
"Okay, see you then."
***
Mulder sat at the end of his bed and stared at the hotel room door. His room was almost identical to the one he'd slept in last night with Scully in his arms, her fingers gently playing with the hair on his chest and the other hand resting across his stomach touching his slightly protruding hip bone. Deliciously drawing small circle into his skin as she dozed off.
He regretted taking the second room but he had no choice. He couldn't presume she would want him to stay in her room, so he had taken the key, signed his name and ignored the hopeful smile from the receptionist.
What is she so afraid of? He thought but he knew the answer. He had the same fears, the same worries. But that's all they would ever be if he didn't confront her and make her confront herself.
Standing up he loosened his tie and undid the top two buttons of his shirt. With conviction behind every step he marched out of the room and down the hall to stand outside of her room. As he lifted his hand to knock his courage seemed to desert him and he hesitated. His tongue darted out to wet his rapidly drying lips and the tingling sensation it caused reminded him of the feel of her lips against his so he knocked.
"Scully, it's me," he said after the knock.
***
Scully stepped out of the shower and pulled her robe tightly around her shivering naked body. The look on his face before he left the hospital had engraved itself on her mind and she fought hard to get rid of it without success. She looked up at the steamy mirror but walked away without wiping it clean. She didn't want to see the traitorous look in her eyes telling her what she knew in her heart but had already denied with her lips.
She made her way across the room towards the bed and let her eyes linger over the tousled sheets as if she could see him lying there if she stared hard enough. But she shut her eyes tight and walked on opting to sit in the small armchair by the window. The energy she was hoping would be revitalised by the shower was speedily draining from her and all she could do was sit in the soft chair and feel the soft breeze from the open window as she rested her head back and closed her eyes.
The soft knock was followed by his soft voice and she stared at the thin wooded door wondering how long it would take him to break it down if she didn't answer.
How many more minutes of peace would she get before his hazel eyes and caramel voice invaded her senses?
"Scully?"
Not many, she conceded as she crossed to the room and almost heard his relief as the latch was lifted.
She opened the door fully, returning to her chair before looking up to him. She was surprised by how close he had followed her and stretched her neck further her eyes travelling up the length of his body catching his rolled up sleeves, loose tie and opened shirt before finally resting on his face. His dark expression was softened only by the concern in his eyes that he had no control in hiding. She decided to make pre-emptive strike and opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her with a slow shake in his head, daring her to continue. Usually she would step up to any challenge he had to offer but this time she was stunned by the look of passion that played with his face and body, like she'd never seen before.
"Look Scully, don't give me the it was a mistake crap, because I don't believe it and frankly neither do you."
A white hot flash of anger erupted inside her.
How dare he assume to know what she felt she thought, but then as she realised that he was right her fury was distinguished.
"If you don't want me to kiss you…then I wont," he said softly this time, urging her with his voice to look up to him. "But say it…tell me what you want and I'll do it. Don't hide behind your badge or our friendship."
She looked down to her fumbling hands afraid that he'd see the truth of she looked up.
"Look at me Scully," he pleaded and the hurt tone in his voice made her want to jump into his embrace and shower him with kisses, but all she could do was shake her head, spraying droplets of water from her wet hair in an arc around her. A small pearl of water had landed on his hand and she saw him looking down at it. Her eyes watched transfixed as he lifted his hand up to his mouth and licked the moisture away an absent minded gesture that drove her crazy. All the breath was sucked out of her lungs and he looked over when he heard her gasp. Their eyes locked and he saw clearly the worry and concern in them battle against a passion he knew she possessed.
"Mulder," she said standing up in front of him, but still only coming up to his chest.
Words escaped her and her thoughts dispersed when he pulled her into the circle of his arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. Cradling her against him with one arm, he buried the other in her hair at the base of her skull and gently pressed her head into his chest. As his chin came to rest on the top of her head he could feel his shirt getting wet from her hair but ignored the rapidly spreading dampness in favour of holding her so closely. Her hands rested delicately by his hips as if she was afraid to fully commit to his embrace but she still needed to touch him.
When the phone rang she pulled away from him guiltily stepping around the bed and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her before he even answered it.
***
Frohike slid out from under the bed for the last time that night and stood to his full height stretching his aching limbs. He glanced around the small room and saw Langly lying against the wall under the window while Byers examined the IV line closely.
"Right, the bed is clear. Nothing running to or from the bed would have any effect of magnets."
"Except for the metal frame," Langly argued standing next to Frohike.
"The frame isn't a catalyst, it's simply a metal frame."
"I think I found something here," Byers said pulling the IV line out of the bag and bringing it over to them.
"What is it?" Langly asked stepping in front of Frohike to get a better look.
"I seems like the attachment in this needle has some filaments in it."
"Metal filaments in the saline solution?"
"That was being pumped into the child's blood stream?"
"Making him more vulnerable to magnetic manipulation?"
The three of them looked at each other and watched as their questioning remarks formed thoughts and ideas in their minds as if they were a collective.
"I'll call Mulder," Frohike said stepping away from the duo and pulling out a mobile phone.
"Mulder," came the terse reply.
"Mulder it's Frohike, I think we found something here."
"What is it?"
"It seems like the IV line was being used to pump some sort of metal filaments into Billy's blood stream."
"Metal in his blood?" Mulder said turning at the sound of a knock on the door and walking to pull it open, "Hang on Frohike."
"Baggage for Dr. Scully," the porter said holding out a hold all and a page for him to sign.
Mulder balanced the phone between his head and shoulder and signed the page tossing the bag on the bed after he closed the door.
"Scully, your stuff is here," he called softly through the bathroom door before walking back to the window to talk to Frohike.
"Why would they do that?"
"Makes him more manipulative. To the magnets."
"Wouldn't it poison his system?"
"Depends on the substance. We know a guy down town who's going to let us use his lab, we'll call you when we know more."
Mulder turned to see Scully rummaging through her bag and pulling out a dark blue pair of slacks and a black jumper.
"Frohike said they found traces of metal filaments in Billy's IV line that were being pumped into his system."
"What kind of metal?" she asked.
"They are going to test it."
A heavy silence fell between them as Mulder played with the phone in his hands. Not used to the nervousness he was feeling he struggled to cope and watched her busy herself with her things.
"Do you want to get something to eat? We could go out or…order in?" he asked tentatively. Knowing well she'd rather get away from him, but he wasn't going to give her the chance.
"Sure. Lets order in though, I want to call the hospital in San Francisco."
"Okay, what would you like?" he asked as he browsed through the menu.
"Whatever," she called as she stepped into the bathroom to change and he didn't miss the fact that she closed the door firmly behind her the tell tale click of the lock ringing in his ears painfully.
When she returned fully dressed but barefoot he was sitting on the end of the bed with Billy's medical file lying beside him. She grabbed the chair and dragged it over beside him sitting down and reaching for the legal pad on the floor by the bed she scribbled a few notes on it before looking up to his thoughtful gaze.
"Dr. Richard Mayfair, SF County hospital, Portland Road," he said calling out the address for her to take down and the phone number.
"I guess I'll call him now."
"Yeah, food will take about 30 minutes."
"What did you get?"
"Just some sandwiches, and a couple of bottles of water."
She was surprised by what he said as she usually had to convince him that she needed fresh fruit and vegetables to sustain a normalcy in her life instead of constant burgers, fried chicken and pizza. She checked her watch and carefully counted back the hours to see it was 10am in San Francisco. An abrupt answer from a female secretary startled her back to the task at hand and she stated her title and asked to speak to Dr Mayfair.
"I'm afraid Dr Mayfair is not here at the moment, he is in surgery."
"Can you help me maybe? I am in search of a patients file from an operation back in 1996. William Ryan then aged four."
"I'm afraid our records are sealed."
"I aware of that but this little boy has gone missing and as a Federal Agent I can obtain a court order to open these files for me but by then it may be too late."
"Well okay but could I have your badge number please?"
"Absolutely," she said reeling off her badge number and then the fax number to send the files to.
"Laptop's in my room. I'll be back in a second."
She took the opportunity to try to relax her madly beating her heart and admonished herself for falling so easily into his arms. Pulling the chair and medical folder over to the large table she sat into it and began to read through the pages. What she read shocked and disturbed her to a point where she felt like she could no longer read on. Mulder walked in carrying the laptop and portable printer and started to hook it up on the table next to her.
"Have you read any of this?"
"Briefly why?"
"Billy has had more operations in his life than I could ever imagine being productive."
"What do you mean?" he asked and as he waited for the machine to boot up he came round to stand behind her letting his tie fall over her shoulder as he leant close.
"Look at this, surgery at two to correct eye defect. At four to insert medical metal plate, at five to realign vertebrae, at seven to attach bionic lens's."
"Why would he need all this stuff?"
"It says here that he had a degenerative cell disease which attacked all parts of his body, resulting in renal failure, ocular failure, osteoporosis. Mulder this child should be dead," she said looking up before she realised how close their faces would be. He didn't seem to notice as he reached out and tapped a few keys on the keyboard
"Why would they keep operating on him?"
"To sustain his life."
"A life of pain and operations?"
"His parents were scientists, research scientists."
"Do you think they were using him to test their procedures
on?"
She didn't answer the question
as Mulder had dialled up the remote connection on the laptop and they both
waited for the fax to arrive. A knock
at the door beckoned for their attention and Mulder walked over to answer. She couldn't help but follow his swaggering
hips over to the door where he collected the dinner tray and returned a wicked
grin playing openly on his full lips.
He placed the tray on the table and lifted the lid with a Taa-Daa. She looked down at the food and tried to
keep the smile off her face when she glanced up at him.
"Sandwiches and water?"
"Well it is…pizza sandwiches and carbonated water with cola flavouring!"
"So pizza and coke?"
"That's what I said!"
As the pages emerged from the printer Mulder took a slice and walked around the room as he ate, returning to sip from the bottle of coke. She usually told him to get a glass but tonight her conversation skills seem to have been stunted and he wanted to know how far he could push her. He saw her watching him as he lifted the 2-litre bottle to his lips and take a long swig. She itched to say something but something in side stopped her.
"Oh my god…look at this." She grabbed the pages from the table and pulled out the adoption licence.
"He's adopted?" Mulder asked.
"By Sally Ryan. She's his adopted mother from the age of eighteen months."
"What about the parents that were killed in the plane crash?"
"Dr Michael Ryan and Dr Phillipa Ryan. Brother and sister."
"But they said his parents were killed in a plane crash? Not his personal research assistants?"
"They were in 1992."
"Hence the adoption."
They sat in silence as they both took in this new information.
"That's all well and good but it does nothing to explain what's going on. Or where he is," Scully said.
"But it does tell us something."
"Sally Ryan is lying."
The pizza forgotten and coke left to go flat Scully grabbed her shoes and they both rushed out to her house. Scully gazed at the picturesque image in front of her as Mulder drove up through the lined pathway.
"It's something else, right?"
"Nice for a TV writer salary."
Mulder parked the car by the front door steps and they met by the bonnet to make and entrance together. She had pulled out her badge ready for inspection when suddenly the ground fell from under her feet and she felt her back slamming against something hard and immovable. Suddenly realising that she had been thrown away from the house as it exploded and looked to her side in time to see Mulder leaning up onto his elbows. He looked around with his eyes glazed and confused and saw her before he stumbled closer and helped her up.
"Scully, you okay?"
"Yeah, just a little surprised."
They stood next to each other and looked on at the burning house dusting their clothes off and shaking their heads.
"That's got to be a record," Mulder quipped.
"What?"
"Two explosions and still breathing, something is up here."
"What gave it away Mulder? The air rushing through your head as we were thrown or the impact on this hard ground?"
"Go easy on my Scully, I've had a hard few days!"
She smiled ruefully at him and pulled out her phone to call the police and fire brigade. Mulder stepped as close as he dared to the fire and ducked as small pockets of gas erupted in loud bangs through the blazing flames. The garden was soon awash with blue flickering lights and police personnel as they badgered Mulder and Scully for answers. Sifting through the ashes was an arduous task that they both insisted on being present for.
Finally as the sun crept over the lush garden lighting the mess naturally for the first time the bodies were found. Pulled out charred and burnt the y were shipped off to the morgue for identification but no one could mistake the small body that came out last, the small hands plainly positioned bound behind it's back. Scully felt tear fill her eyes and she stepped away from the picture needing to get some fresh air that didn't carry the stench of burning hair and skin. Mulder who was talking to Detective Jackson watched her stumble over to the car, her hand covering her mouth as she fought to maintain composure. He excused himself from the detectives questions and approached her suddenly unsure of how he could comfort her, wondering if the rules had changed, wondering if their rules existed.
"Scully…" he said cautiously and she hastily rubbed her cheeks free of any traces of any tears that may have fallen.
"I need to go and get to the hospital for the autopsies."
"You don't need to do that. I think our work here is done and all we can do is send our reports to the local-,"
"Mulder, that little boy was murdered. We need to find out why? And who did it?"
"Scully, torturing yourself by going and cutting up that little boy isn't going to help you. You cant save every child. You couldn't save Emily."
"What? What are you talking about Mulder? This has nothing to do with Emily!" she shouted stepping out of the car and pushing his chest angrily.
"I spoke to Frohike."
Stunned into silence she found her feet had become cement blocks and her eyes glued to his face. Not his eyes, she couldn't look at his eyes, but the small freckle on his jaw line just past the edge of his lips. His words clouded her brain and she found it hard to concentrate not wanting to hear what he was saying but needing to be told.
"The fluid in the IV was the same stuff that they were pumping in to Emily…testing on Emily."
"But…green…metal…" her thoughts weren't articulate enough to form full sentences but Mulder understood.
"I know, I can't explain it," he admitted, hating the fact that he couldn't help. "I told the guys to go back to the hospital to collect anything they could but it was already cleared out. No trace evidence."
All of a sudden her body began to shake and as she convulsed and writhed he grabbed her and supported her against his chest letting the tears fall without witness to anyone but his shirt. She made no sound save for the intake of breath and fought his tight grip until she could stand no more and her legs went out from under her. He led her back to the car and sat her into the passenger seat before running around and climbing in beside her.
Her combination of exhaustion and disbelieve pooled together to drain her of any strength she had and it want long before she fell into a restless doze next to him, the rhythmic motion of the car lulling her comfortably. He watched her as much as he could while driving safely and finally managed to make it to the hotel. Brushing her cheek with the back of his finger she started awake and spun round to meet him her eyes wide with fear.
"It's only me Scully," he said holding his hands up defensively. "We're here."
Silently she got out of the car and walked towards the hotel shrugging his arm off her shoulders as they walked through the lobby and into the elevators. As she approached her bedroom he stood with her until the doors were opened.
"Do you want to talk Scully?" he asked carefully.
"No Mulder. Goodnight."
She closed the door with out another word leaving him deserted in the cold hallway, confused and afraid.
But he left.
His bed was big and lonely and did nothing to dispel his fear of her emotional state. It was all he could do not to reach for the phone and dial her room number, if only to hear her voice and reassure himself she was still there.
But he didn't.
She pulled off her clothes and slipped into a tight spaghetti strapped top and loose red and black cotton checked pyjama bottoms and la on the bed staring at the covers. Never in her life had she been filled with such despair or loneliness as she felt the hot salty tears run down her face silently. Her chest shook with the effort of keeping her cries at bay and suddenly she was afraid. Afraid of being alone. Afraid of dying alone. Without thought for the consequences she grabbed the spare key Mulder had left on the table next to the laptop and darted through the halls barefoot to his room.
The TV cast flickering lights across the floor casting odd shadows on simple objects like the trail of clothes he had strewn from the door to the bed where he had obviously climbed straight in. Stealthily she shut the door and took a moment for her eyes to adjust in the dim lighting before stepping closer to the bed where he was lying on his stomach with his head sideways on the pillow facing her. She hesitated as she stood over his still form and studied what she could see of his face, trying to decide if he was awake or not. But suddenly his gravely voice broke through the electric air and caught her off guard.
"Are you going to stand there all night?" he said quietly as he half rolled over and invited her closer by lifting up the corner of the blanket that rested over him, but covered little.
Without a sound she clambered in beside him and settled on her back with his arm resting over her lat stomach. He snuggled closer pulling her into him as he did and she registered with shock that he was naked below the blankets.
"I was lonely," he whispered into the darkness.
"I'm here now Mulder," she replied feeling him smile against her shoulder, before he pressed a light kiss to her warm skin.
"Are you okay?"
"No," she said plainly, not fighting the tears this time she found that they fell easier and couldn't help but smile a little. "I've been sad before, I've been depressed and lonely. But I've never been so awash with all three, doused in anger, frustration and fear…so intensely."
"It'll get easier."
"Maybe it shouldn't."
"What do you mean?" he asked pulling himself up to lean on his elbow and get a better look at her face. Mild shock registered on his face at the extent of her tears and the slight puffiness of her eyes but he hid it from her.
"I mean I feel emotions everyday…about lots of stuff…about you…but I never let them get carried away to the point where I can't control them. I grieved for Emily, but I never let anyone see my pain. I grieved for my father for Melissa but again I kept…you at a distance insisting that I do my job."
He listened to the ever-increasing beat of his heart a dared hope for what she might say.
"What I felt tonight Mulder showed me something. There are something's in this world that are not meant to be controlled. Just meant to grow."
"Like what?" he dared ask needing to know for sure, needing her to show him before he was too far gone to retrieve what they had before.
"Like this…" shyly almost fearfully she reached a small hand out to his chin and cupped his face before raising her head enough to kiss her lips gently to his. For a long moment they stayed like that and Mulder felt fresh tears fall from her closed eyes, running between their cheeks and falling to her chest. He couldn't hold back anymore so he deepened the kiss, his hands running up the length of her body as he pulled her closer and hungrily stabbed his tongue into her waiting mouth tasting her sweet mouth and salty tear stained lips.
Pulling his lips from hers with an audible pop he looked down at her, his hand gently stroking her face and moving wisps of hair that his fingers had released from her clasp. Her eyes fluttered heavily as she fought to stay awake but it was a loosing battle.
"Sleep Scully," he said softly. "I'll be here when you wake up."
It was the final permission she needed and she gave up the futile war and let her heavy lids rest. He rested next to her, twisting her in his arms so her back was to him and nestled in close. Amazed at how warm she was he slipped one hand under the pillow and the other was splayed out on her torso just at the rim of her top. Sleepily she moved her hand from under her cheek and guided his fingers under her top and against her skin, she held him there.
Again she felt his lips curve into a delighted smile and wished she had the energy to turn and reward him for it but as the thoughts entered her head they flitted away as sleep claimed her at last, lying in the cocoon of his arms, where she felt the safest she ever had.
** TAA-DAA Indeed!!! Again I think I'm dissatisfied with the endings but it could be just me. I'm just not that good with ending a piece. Anyway on with the show…NEXT!!! **
