Chapter Five - Sleep Walking
Mulder awoke to the sounds of movement in his apartment. It took him a moment or two to remember why he was sleeping on the couch and who else was in the apartment with him.
The noise he heard was the sound of Scully slowly pacing around his bedroom.
He got up ignoring the fact that he was clad in only his boxers and slowly walked into his room. He was right. It was Scully who was making the noise. Although at present she was standing looking out of his window.
She had her arms wrapped around herself and she was shivering slightly as she stared sightlessly out.
Mulder grabbed the afghan off the end of the bed and came up behind her covering her with it. She must have known he was in the room because she did not start at his touch nor pull away from him when he left his hands upon her shoulders.
"The nightmares came back?" he said quietly looking at her reflection in the window.
Scully nodded. "I didn't mean to wake you" she said to his reflection.
"You didn't wake me" he said "You know I can never sleep."
"You are a horrible liar Mulder" she said smiling at bit. "But I must admit that I am happy you're up."
"You're freezing" Mulder said when he noticed she was still shivering. He rubbed her upper arms in an attempt to warm her. "Come on into the living room and curl up on the couch until you are ready to go back to sleep."
Scully thought about it for a second and then turned towards him. She placed her hand on his cheek and looked at him for a long time. "Thanks Mulder"
Mulder looked down at Scully and saw her looking at him as if she was trying to figure something out. She removed her hand from his face and the moment passed.
Scully turned and walked out to the couch and proceeded to curl herself up into a little ball. Mulder took the afghan and went to get lengths tucking it in all around her.
Scully smiled at his efforts and patted the couch next to her. "Aren't you cold?" she said noticing for the first time that Mulder was dressed in only his boxers.
"Not particularly" he said getting a bit shy about his appearance "but I suppose for decency sake I should go throw on a pair of shorts."
Mulder went back into his bedroom leaving Scully muttering to herself that she was perfectly happy to see him so indecently dressed. He returned a minute later wearing an old t-shirt and a pair of running shorts.
"Sorry about the shirt" he said "but someone seems to have borrowed my favorite one."
"Would you like me to take it off?" Scully said teasingly.
"Scully, you should know better than to tempt me like that" Mulder said laughing. "Besides it looks much better on you than it does on me."
He sat down next to Scully so their bodies touched and leaned his head back against the couch.
"Want to talk about it?" he said turning his head to look at Scully who had positioned herself similarly.
"The dream?" she said looking at him and giving him a wry smile. "It is the same one I always have. Holton has me tied up and helpless. I scream and scream but no one hears. He assaults me, beats me and then disfigures me. You aren't there to save me."
Mulder put his arm around her and drew her close. "Don't worry Scully. I know you think he was in your hotel room tonight and that you are in danger again. But I will promise you this" he put his finger under her chin and made her look him right in the eye. "I won't let him hurt you."
Scully saw the deep lines of concern etched on his face and smiled up at him. "I don't suppose now is the right time to tell you about how I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
Mulder laughed. "Only if you want to injure my fragile male ego."
Scully chuckled at this and leaned her head back against the couch closing her eyes. "Tell me another story about you and the Lone Gunmen venturing off alone to save all humanity." She said sleepily.
Mulder smiled and began yet another tale of how he and the Lone Gunmen had traveled all over Utah in search of a downed UFO. The trip, as usual, had ended up being a wild goose chase with the only real highlight of the trip being when Frohike took their rental car out on the Salt Flats and tortured it.
Mulder was so wrapped up in the telling of the story that he hadn't noticed that Scully had been lured to sleep by the sound of his voice. "Aren't I the great storyteller?" he said to himself as he eased her down on the couch. "One story from me and they are out like a light."
He looked down at Scully's sleeping form and thought to himself for probably the hundredth time that night how beautiful she was. Especially now when her face was totally at peace.
He bent over and kissed her on the cheek. His efforts rewarded by the hint of a smile overtaking her lips.
"Good night Scully"
The Following Morning - Mulder's Office
Mulder arrived at his office after dropping Scully off at her hotel to pick up the rest of her belongings before their meeting with Skinner later that morning.
He sat at his terminal and, after taking a quick peek behind him to make sure Scully hadn't mysteriously appeared, opened up the FBI personnel database.
He typed in "Dana Scully" and within seconds saw her face upon his screen.
Reading it he discovered that Scully was a special consultant to the Bureau who now rated a higher security level than himself. He laughed at this not at all surprised.
He browsed the cases associated with her over the past two years and found them to be practically all closed with a majority of them resulting in prosecutions.
"Very impressive" he said to himself as he clicked on the button labeled "personal information"
Scully's personal information screen held very little information other than her physical description, the date and place of her birth and that she was a part time forensic professor.
Despite numerous searches, Mulder was unable to locate where she lived or where she worked. He couldn't even tell in what state she lived.
"Damn" he said to himself turning off his machine "I guess I will have to put the Gunmen on the case" Guilt hit him at once and he shook his head.
If Scully was trying that hard to protect her privacy, he would respect it.
At least for now.
He walked up to Skinner's office a few minutes early hoping to be able to get a word in private with him.
Outside of Scully's Hotel
He watched her from across the street as she got out of her taxi and walked into the hotel. He had known that she would come back for her things, he was just surprised that she had come alone.
Obviously he hadn't done a good enough job of scaring her the night before. "I will have to work on that" he said to himself as he made himself comfortable and waited for her to reappear.
He wanted her to be more than scared - to be terrified. That fear would give him energy and help him get stronger.
Skinner's Office
Mulder found Skinner alone in his office and asked him if he could have a word with him before Scully arrived.
"Certainly Agent Mulder" Skinner said walking over to the door and closing it. He knew that at some point Mulder would confront him about his knowledge of Scully's whereabouts for the past few years. Frankly, he was surprised it took him this long.
"Well Sir, it's about Scully" Mulder said pacing a bit while Skinner took his seat behind his desk.
"What about her?" Skinner said admitting to himself that he was rather enjoying watching Mulder squirm a bit.
"I don't know how to put this tactfully so I guess I will come right out and ask." Mulder said stopping directly in front of Skinner and turning to face him. "How long have you known Scully was back with the Bureau?"
Skinner looked him straight in the eye and answered him. "Dr. Scully contacted me shortly after her return to the United States and asked my help in acquiring her a different position."
"You have known about her for two years!" Mulder said is voice beginning to rise in anger. "And you didn't tell me?"
"You never asked" Skinner said shortly.
Mulder just glared at him and he continued. "Agent Mulder, when Dr. Scully returned she made a particular request concerning you and information about her whereabouts."
"May I ask you what those were?" Mulder said with mocking politeness.
"To sum it up Agent" Skinner said trying to keep his composure "she asked me to keep the information confidential to everyone in the DC Bureau with one exception. If you specifically asked me for information about where to contact her, I was to provide it."
"Don't ask, don't tell" Mulder said sarcastically.
"I believe Agent Mulder, that Scully assumed if you really cared about her or wondered what had happened to her that you would have looked for her or at least made inquiries."
Mulder felt a bit chastised as Skinner continued. "Afterall, Agent you have traveled cross country and back several times on just the mere chance of getting the smallest tidbit of information on your sister. I think it was a safe assumption on her part that if she meant anything to you that you would have put in a similar effort to find her."
Mulder looked down at his shoes feeling guiltier by the minute. Skinner was right. Mulder's own guilt about Scully and their relationship and his own embarrassment about how he had handled things had kept him from looking for her.
He never assumed in a million years that she would actually want to be found.
Skinner looked at Mulder and shook his head wondering how a man so incredibly intelligent could be so foolish when it came to his former- partner. He wasn't much of a romantic, but even he could feel the underlying energy flowing between the two of them even after four years of separation.
"Agent Mulder" Skinner said quietly glancing at his watch. "The rest of our team will be here shortly but before I let them in can I give you a piece of advice. As a friend?"
Mulder dragged his gaze away from the floor and nodded. "Have you come right out and asked her all these things you want to know."
Mulder looked down again answering his question. "Well, when this case is done take her out to a nice dinner and ask her and then tell her."
"Tell her what?" Mulder asked looking puzzled.
Skinner rolled his eyes and got up to open the door. "That you missed her."
As Scully entered the room she instantly noticed Mulder's sour face and bad mood. Assuming he had gotten himself chewed out again by Skinner she thought little of it as she piled her suitcases in a corner of the room.
"All moved out Dr Scully?" Skinner asked looking at the bags.
"Yes Sir" she started when she was interrupted by the rest of the case team who wear entering the room.
Skinner introduced everyone and quickly gave a brief description of the case before handing out assignments.
"Dr. Scully" he began "how many people knew you were coming to DC?"
"Before I arrived? Just you and the DA."
Skinner nodded slowly and put the two junior agents who he had assigned to the case on finding out exactly who was in the courtroom during the hearing and who in the DA's office would have been aware of Scully's presence.
"You" he said to Agent Mulder "are going to the Fed prison to talk to Robert Holton. Their records show that he was placed back in his cell directly after the hearing yesterday but I want you get a 'read' on him when it comes to Scully."
Mulder nodded his approval of this idea. Despite the fact that Holton was 'safely' behind bars, Mulder was convinced that he was somehow involved with the break in the night before.
"And Dr. Scully" Skinner said turning the Scully "we have gathered a good amount of forensic evidence from your room. I would appreciate it if you could supervise its processing by the labs."
Scully gave him a look which said that she knew perfectly well that he was trying to keep her within the safe confines of the FBI Building. "Yes Sir" she said flatly.
"Oh, and Dr. Scully" Skinner said as he stood up indicating the meeting was over "I am assigning Agent Mulder the task of protecting you until this case is closed."
Scully's eyes grew huge at this and before she could disagree Skinner cut her off. "It's not a request."
She glared at him and stormed out of the office heading down to the labs on the lower floor.
Mulder laughed. "I am glad you said it instead of me."
End of chapter five More to come, I promise. but reviews get me to post faster!
Mulder awoke to the sounds of movement in his apartment. It took him a moment or two to remember why he was sleeping on the couch and who else was in the apartment with him.
The noise he heard was the sound of Scully slowly pacing around his bedroom.
He got up ignoring the fact that he was clad in only his boxers and slowly walked into his room. He was right. It was Scully who was making the noise. Although at present she was standing looking out of his window.
She had her arms wrapped around herself and she was shivering slightly as she stared sightlessly out.
Mulder grabbed the afghan off the end of the bed and came up behind her covering her with it. She must have known he was in the room because she did not start at his touch nor pull away from him when he left his hands upon her shoulders.
"The nightmares came back?" he said quietly looking at her reflection in the window.
Scully nodded. "I didn't mean to wake you" she said to his reflection.
"You didn't wake me" he said "You know I can never sleep."
"You are a horrible liar Mulder" she said smiling at bit. "But I must admit that I am happy you're up."
"You're freezing" Mulder said when he noticed she was still shivering. He rubbed her upper arms in an attempt to warm her. "Come on into the living room and curl up on the couch until you are ready to go back to sleep."
Scully thought about it for a second and then turned towards him. She placed her hand on his cheek and looked at him for a long time. "Thanks Mulder"
Mulder looked down at Scully and saw her looking at him as if she was trying to figure something out. She removed her hand from his face and the moment passed.
Scully turned and walked out to the couch and proceeded to curl herself up into a little ball. Mulder took the afghan and went to get lengths tucking it in all around her.
Scully smiled at his efforts and patted the couch next to her. "Aren't you cold?" she said noticing for the first time that Mulder was dressed in only his boxers.
"Not particularly" he said getting a bit shy about his appearance "but I suppose for decency sake I should go throw on a pair of shorts."
Mulder went back into his bedroom leaving Scully muttering to herself that she was perfectly happy to see him so indecently dressed. He returned a minute later wearing an old t-shirt and a pair of running shorts.
"Sorry about the shirt" he said "but someone seems to have borrowed my favorite one."
"Would you like me to take it off?" Scully said teasingly.
"Scully, you should know better than to tempt me like that" Mulder said laughing. "Besides it looks much better on you than it does on me."
He sat down next to Scully so their bodies touched and leaned his head back against the couch.
"Want to talk about it?" he said turning his head to look at Scully who had positioned herself similarly.
"The dream?" she said looking at him and giving him a wry smile. "It is the same one I always have. Holton has me tied up and helpless. I scream and scream but no one hears. He assaults me, beats me and then disfigures me. You aren't there to save me."
Mulder put his arm around her and drew her close. "Don't worry Scully. I know you think he was in your hotel room tonight and that you are in danger again. But I will promise you this" he put his finger under her chin and made her look him right in the eye. "I won't let him hurt you."
Scully saw the deep lines of concern etched on his face and smiled up at him. "I don't suppose now is the right time to tell you about how I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
Mulder laughed. "Only if you want to injure my fragile male ego."
Scully chuckled at this and leaned her head back against the couch closing her eyes. "Tell me another story about you and the Lone Gunmen venturing off alone to save all humanity." She said sleepily.
Mulder smiled and began yet another tale of how he and the Lone Gunmen had traveled all over Utah in search of a downed UFO. The trip, as usual, had ended up being a wild goose chase with the only real highlight of the trip being when Frohike took their rental car out on the Salt Flats and tortured it.
Mulder was so wrapped up in the telling of the story that he hadn't noticed that Scully had been lured to sleep by the sound of his voice. "Aren't I the great storyteller?" he said to himself as he eased her down on the couch. "One story from me and they are out like a light."
He looked down at Scully's sleeping form and thought to himself for probably the hundredth time that night how beautiful she was. Especially now when her face was totally at peace.
He bent over and kissed her on the cheek. His efforts rewarded by the hint of a smile overtaking her lips.
"Good night Scully"
The Following Morning - Mulder's Office
Mulder arrived at his office after dropping Scully off at her hotel to pick up the rest of her belongings before their meeting with Skinner later that morning.
He sat at his terminal and, after taking a quick peek behind him to make sure Scully hadn't mysteriously appeared, opened up the FBI personnel database.
He typed in "Dana Scully" and within seconds saw her face upon his screen.
Reading it he discovered that Scully was a special consultant to the Bureau who now rated a higher security level than himself. He laughed at this not at all surprised.
He browsed the cases associated with her over the past two years and found them to be practically all closed with a majority of them resulting in prosecutions.
"Very impressive" he said to himself as he clicked on the button labeled "personal information"
Scully's personal information screen held very little information other than her physical description, the date and place of her birth and that she was a part time forensic professor.
Despite numerous searches, Mulder was unable to locate where she lived or where she worked. He couldn't even tell in what state she lived.
"Damn" he said to himself turning off his machine "I guess I will have to put the Gunmen on the case" Guilt hit him at once and he shook his head.
If Scully was trying that hard to protect her privacy, he would respect it.
At least for now.
He walked up to Skinner's office a few minutes early hoping to be able to get a word in private with him.
Outside of Scully's Hotel
He watched her from across the street as she got out of her taxi and walked into the hotel. He had known that she would come back for her things, he was just surprised that she had come alone.
Obviously he hadn't done a good enough job of scaring her the night before. "I will have to work on that" he said to himself as he made himself comfortable and waited for her to reappear.
He wanted her to be more than scared - to be terrified. That fear would give him energy and help him get stronger.
Skinner's Office
Mulder found Skinner alone in his office and asked him if he could have a word with him before Scully arrived.
"Certainly Agent Mulder" Skinner said walking over to the door and closing it. He knew that at some point Mulder would confront him about his knowledge of Scully's whereabouts for the past few years. Frankly, he was surprised it took him this long.
"Well Sir, it's about Scully" Mulder said pacing a bit while Skinner took his seat behind his desk.
"What about her?" Skinner said admitting to himself that he was rather enjoying watching Mulder squirm a bit.
"I don't know how to put this tactfully so I guess I will come right out and ask." Mulder said stopping directly in front of Skinner and turning to face him. "How long have you known Scully was back with the Bureau?"
Skinner looked him straight in the eye and answered him. "Dr. Scully contacted me shortly after her return to the United States and asked my help in acquiring her a different position."
"You have known about her for two years!" Mulder said is voice beginning to rise in anger. "And you didn't tell me?"
"You never asked" Skinner said shortly.
Mulder just glared at him and he continued. "Agent Mulder, when Dr. Scully returned she made a particular request concerning you and information about her whereabouts."
"May I ask you what those were?" Mulder said with mocking politeness.
"To sum it up Agent" Skinner said trying to keep his composure "she asked me to keep the information confidential to everyone in the DC Bureau with one exception. If you specifically asked me for information about where to contact her, I was to provide it."
"Don't ask, don't tell" Mulder said sarcastically.
"I believe Agent Mulder, that Scully assumed if you really cared about her or wondered what had happened to her that you would have looked for her or at least made inquiries."
Mulder felt a bit chastised as Skinner continued. "Afterall, Agent you have traveled cross country and back several times on just the mere chance of getting the smallest tidbit of information on your sister. I think it was a safe assumption on her part that if she meant anything to you that you would have put in a similar effort to find her."
Mulder looked down at his shoes feeling guiltier by the minute. Skinner was right. Mulder's own guilt about Scully and their relationship and his own embarrassment about how he had handled things had kept him from looking for her.
He never assumed in a million years that she would actually want to be found.
Skinner looked at Mulder and shook his head wondering how a man so incredibly intelligent could be so foolish when it came to his former- partner. He wasn't much of a romantic, but even he could feel the underlying energy flowing between the two of them even after four years of separation.
"Agent Mulder" Skinner said quietly glancing at his watch. "The rest of our team will be here shortly but before I let them in can I give you a piece of advice. As a friend?"
Mulder dragged his gaze away from the floor and nodded. "Have you come right out and asked her all these things you want to know."
Mulder looked down again answering his question. "Well, when this case is done take her out to a nice dinner and ask her and then tell her."
"Tell her what?" Mulder asked looking puzzled.
Skinner rolled his eyes and got up to open the door. "That you missed her."
As Scully entered the room she instantly noticed Mulder's sour face and bad mood. Assuming he had gotten himself chewed out again by Skinner she thought little of it as she piled her suitcases in a corner of the room.
"All moved out Dr Scully?" Skinner asked looking at the bags.
"Yes Sir" she started when she was interrupted by the rest of the case team who wear entering the room.
Skinner introduced everyone and quickly gave a brief description of the case before handing out assignments.
"Dr. Scully" he began "how many people knew you were coming to DC?"
"Before I arrived? Just you and the DA."
Skinner nodded slowly and put the two junior agents who he had assigned to the case on finding out exactly who was in the courtroom during the hearing and who in the DA's office would have been aware of Scully's presence.
"You" he said to Agent Mulder "are going to the Fed prison to talk to Robert Holton. Their records show that he was placed back in his cell directly after the hearing yesterday but I want you get a 'read' on him when it comes to Scully."
Mulder nodded his approval of this idea. Despite the fact that Holton was 'safely' behind bars, Mulder was convinced that he was somehow involved with the break in the night before.
"And Dr. Scully" Skinner said turning the Scully "we have gathered a good amount of forensic evidence from your room. I would appreciate it if you could supervise its processing by the labs."
Scully gave him a look which said that she knew perfectly well that he was trying to keep her within the safe confines of the FBI Building. "Yes Sir" she said flatly.
"Oh, and Dr. Scully" Skinner said as he stood up indicating the meeting was over "I am assigning Agent Mulder the task of protecting you until this case is closed."
Scully's eyes grew huge at this and before she could disagree Skinner cut her off. "It's not a request."
She glared at him and stormed out of the office heading down to the labs on the lower floor.
Mulder laughed. "I am glad you said it instead of me."
End of chapter five More to come, I promise. but reviews get me to post faster!