Mulder and Scully had spent the last three hours rediscovering every millimetre of the other's body and now lay on the bed spooned together, exhausted and satiated. Both knew that they wouldn't have much time together and so every second was precious, meaning that neither wanted to go to sleep no matter how tired they felt. Mulder stroked her bare arm, lightly dancing his fingers across her skin in nonsensical patterns. After a while Scully caught his hand in hers to cease its tickling motion and pulled the bed covers up over their shoulders. Mulder wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and pulled her even more tightly to him. Snuggling back into him, Scully sighed in contentment and he pressed a gentle kiss to the base of her neck.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too Mulder...so much so that I couldn't sleep most nights because you weren't there beside me."

"Me too...I could only sleep when I was able to convince myself that I was going to dream of you and even then...it's just not the same. Nothing can compare to the feeling of having you in my arms, of lying beside you in bed knowing that you would be there when I first open my eyes in the morning."

"I know...I dream of you and then when I wake up to find you not there - it's like losing you all over again."

"You haven't lost me Scully...you never have and you never will. I'm yours forever and always."

"And I'm yours."

Scully turned around in Mulder's arms so that she was facing him and leaned in to kiss him. He returned the kiss in full and, when his hand pressed her nearer to him and she sighed, he took the opportunity of her opened mouth to deepen the kiss. Scully gladly accepted it and her tongue joined with Mulder's in its exploration. She pushed Mulder over so that he was lying on his back and, after one last heated kiss, she broke away and laid her head on his chest over his heart. After a few moments of listening to his heartbeat and assuring herself that this was definitely not a dream she raised herself back up off him and looked down on him. She traced her fingers across his chest and up to his chin until they reached his mouth before bending down intending to recapture it with her own. Just as they were about to meet though, a thought crossed her mind and she paused a millimetre away. Her breath caressed his lips as she spoke and it took a few moments before Mulder realised she actually wanted to say something and was not just saying his name. He turned them both on to their sides facing each other again so that they could talk further.

"What is it Scully?"

"Mulder, don't get me wrong here - I'm definitely not complaining but...why are you here? Why now?"

"Monica contacted me with the help of the Gunmen. She...she was worried about you after that super soldier stopped us from meeting when I was supposed to be coming home on the train. She said that you were more upset than she'd ever seen you and she knew she had to at least try to find a way for us to be together."

"She did this for me?"

"She did it for us but yeah...mostly for you Scully. She's a good friend."

"I know she is...I never realised how good though."

"You're not annoyed at her for going behind your back to contact me and then tricking you to get you out here?"

"How can I be annoyed when it means I get to see you and hold you and touch you? I don't care how many lies she told me - this is worth it, more than worth it."

"She only lied because there was a possibility that I wouldn't be able to get here...that we wouldn't be able to meet."

"I'm glad she didn't tell me then...if she had and you hadn't been here - I just don't think I could have taken it. Not again."

A solitary tear slipped from Scully's eye as she remembered the disappointment and anguish that the event had caused her; thinking that she would see him again soon and then being so close but so far from him. Mulder pulled her closer and whispered soothing words in her ear as she tried to maintain her composure. His comforting and sweet gesture undid her though and soon she found herself crying hard on his shoulder. He rocked her gently as she cried and even when the tears faded away he kept his hold on her tight, not wanting to let her go ever again. Scully relished the feeling of security he provided her with and just relaxed in his arms, content to just remain silent for a long moment. Soon though she lifted her head from where she had buried it in the crook of his neck and looked back up at him with an inquisitive smile on her face.

"Just out of curiosity Mulder...what was Monica going to tell me if you hadn't managed to get here. I mean I assume that thing with the cats was just a cover story."

"Yes, it was. She needed something to get you out here and not raise too much suspicion at the FBI. Skinner approved the case - he's in on this too. ...I can't believe that you fell for it though."

"In my defence, she didn't show me the file until we were already half way here on the plane. Once I did read it though, I knew something was up. Anyway, what would she have told me if you hadn't been here?"

"Well there's something else...I don't know what it is but she said she might have something to show both of us. She and John have been working on a case but that's all she told me - I couldn't get any details out of her."

"That must be the case that John had out in the car...I didn't see any of it though."

"Well while they're out there doing their job...what do you say we go and have a bath? ...The tub's big enough for two..."

"That would be wonderful."