TITLE: The Ties That Bind

AUTHOR: Jillian

DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just notify me via email. I'll submit to Ephemeral and Gossamer myself.

RATING: PG-13 for strong language, violence, and sexual themes. (sounds fun, huh?)

KEYWORDS: MSR; Scully/Other relationship.

CATEGORY: Alternate Universe

SPOILERS: Anything through Orison is fair game.

SUMMARY: (AU) After one night in DC, Scully and Mulder part ways for three full years. Scully questions her new life without Mulder when he calls to ask for her help, and after they speak, her new life begins to unravel. A long story of betrayal, heartache, conspiracy, and romance that I don't want to give away in a summary.

DISCLAIMER: They're mine, all mine! Oh wait, we're talking about Mulder, Scully, the Lone Gunmen, Skinman, Krycek, Old Smokey, and any other recognizable characters? Well, they're not mine--unless of course Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and FOX would like to give me them. No? All right. Oh, and I'm not making any money off of them, either. Unless you'd like to mail me a check. No? It was worth a shot, huh? I also do not own any quoted song lyrics. They belong to an assortment of people who have influenced my story and sometimes even my life, including but not limited to, Bruce Springsteen, Bowling for Soup, Jimmy Eat World, Sublime, etc. The title of the story is also the title of a Springsteen song.

NOTES: This is my first endeavor into a long story based in an Alternate Universe kinda thing. When I started this, there was a song quote I wanted to include. And then another one, and another one. So finally, I decided to put a song quote at the start of every chapter. So that explains that.

THANKS: To Agent Balinski, for her time and feedback, and friendship. To Erin, aka Tefla, for her excellent beta job. Any remaining errors are mine.

PROLOGUE

"Now you're half way around the world,
And I'm just a day behind.
Nothing seems to fill the hole that I have since you left my side."
--Bowling for Soup, "Belgium"

I was sitting in my office when the phone at my desk beeped. It was after patient hours, so I was surprised when I heard it. Tiredly I leaned over the desk to pick up the receiver and offered it a pathetic, "Hello?"

"Doctor Scully, it's Emma, there's someone on the line for you, he says it's important. His name is Fox Mulder," my assistant at the front desk said.

Fox Mulder. A name I hadn't heard in what felt like ages.

"Um, put him through, please," I said, not knowing why I wanted to talk to him again.

"Sure," she said.

There was a click and I said, "Doctor Scully."

"Scully? It's me," he said, just like old times.

"It's been quite a while for you to identify yourself as 'me', hasn't it, Mulder?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's been a long time. How are you doing?" he asked.

"Fine, Mulder, fine. How'd you get this number?" I asked, my tone in between curious and annoyed. I didn't want to talk to him. I couldn't. Not after what had happened.

"Phone book. I'm, uh, going to be here in San Diego for a while and I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat sometime," he said.

I ran my finger along the engagement ring I wore and said, "A lot has changed since I left, Mulder."

"I know it has, Scully, believe me. I just, I need to talk to you. I need to see you about something, it's important. I'm sorry things ended between us the way they did--"

"Well you didn't give me much of a choice," I said.

"I'm sorry. I truly am, but I need to see you. It's important. It's about the X-Files."

"Isn't that what it was always about?"

"Please don't tell me you're not going to see me because you're going to hold a grudge. I made a mistake that night, Scully, out on the beach. I made a mistake and I've paid for it every day since then," he offered, his voice quiet.

"Fine, Mulder, I'll meet with you," I found myself saying. "Do you know where the restaurant Sandy's is? Right in the middle of the tourist strip?"

"Yeah, I'll find it. Friday night, seven o'clock?" He asked.

"Okay," I replied.

"Thanks, Scully," he said.

"Yeah, um, I have to go," I told him.

"Okay. See you then," he replied.

"Yeah, bye."

I sat in my office collecting my thoughts for a moment. I held my breath for a few moments, not realizing it, and slowly exhaled. Mulder wanted to see me. It was about the X-Files, which evoked mixed feelings from me. Part of me wanted him to just want to see me, but things had never been like that. Another part of me wanted to help him; the X-Files had been a major part of my life before I left him. There were answers there that I'd never found. There were things that I needed to know...

Searching for those answers was what kept us apart... I still remember every moment of our last few days together.