Scully is away from the office for the day. She is at Quantico doing autopsies

for the closing of a case so that they may get their report filed with A. D.

Skinner in time, leaving Mulder to work by himself for the day. Ever wonder what

Mulder thinks about on a daily basis? It just may surprise you…

Monday
6:30 P.M.

Mulder's office

Getting up from his desk and closing his briefcase for the day, Mulder switches

off the light and heads out of the office for the evening. Closing the door and

locking it behind him, he heads for the elevator. He goes out to his car and

drives home.

He walks into the apartment building and gets on the elevator, the

ride on the elevator goes by surprisingly quickly. He reaches into his trench

coat pocket, digging around for his keys, he pulls them out, along with a couple

of sunflower seeds, which he looks at and drops on the ground. He then opens his

apartment door. He walks in, switching on the light and shutting the door behind

him, he sets down his briefcase on the floor next to the doorway. He walks over

to the desk and switches on the lamp. He reaches over on the shelf and picks up

the fish food, as he carefully drops some food into the fish, he notices the

answering machine light blinking, so he reaches over and pushes the message

button on the machine. Hearing Scully's voice on the machine, a smile crosses

his face.

"Mulder, I have one more autopsy to do then I will fax you the reports

on these bodies, but as for now, it looks like these people all died of natural

causes, so call me tomorrow and Mulder…get some rest."

Reaching over to stop the machine and placing the lid back on the fish food, he then

places the fish food back on the shelf beside the tank. He reaches over switching off the

lamp on the desk, and walks to the sofa. He sits down, grabs the remote and starts

flipping through the channels, realizing there is nothing on, he flips it off then lies

back to relax for the evening and think about the events of the day.

A few vague memories of Samantha cross his mind, along with some flashbacks of them

playing Stratego, then he suddenly turns his mind away from that subject and he starts

thinking about other things, the memories of Samantha's abduction are too

painful.

Thoughts of other things enter his mind…work, what he had for lunch,

mmm, lunch, that thought reminds him that he has not eaten since lunchtime. He

gets up and grabs his keys, he walks out the door and goes to the elevator.

He exit's the elevator and then exit's the lobby. He goes around the corner to the

sub shop for a sandwich, chips and an iced tea. He sits at a corner table to eat

as slender, leggy, brunette crosses in front of him. She has shoulder length

brown hair and is wearing a black dress suit, from the back, she reminds him of

Diana. He finishes his sandwich and goes back to his apartment.

Entering the lobby and back on the elevator, the ride is much slower this time. He finally

exits the elevator and walks to his door. He pulls out his keys and opens the

door, shutting the door behind him and walking to the sofa. He lies back on the

sofa and his thoughts race with the memories of the past and present. Thoughts of his

family, his friends, his enemies, his dad…Samantha…Diana…Scully…ah…Scully.

She is such an incredible woman, and such a wonderful doctor, but an even better

friend. She is such a great person, intellectual, strong, beautiful. Wow, what a lucky man

he is, to be able to have such a great friend to work with on a daily basis,

though she doesn't believe in anything…she is still willing to risk her life

every day for a cause that isn't even her own and doesn't really concern her.

She is always there anytime, no matter how "spooky" things sometimes get.

It must be difficult for her to work with someone that closely, every day of your life that

you care that much about though you do not really care about the cause of your real

work.

Scully wonders why I sleep on the sofa, but she doesn't understand, how

could she…my relationship with Diana has never been spoken of until recently,

maybe someday I will tell her of my past. The long nights with Phoebe spent in

London, the longs days and nights spent with Diana working on the X Files, the

marriage Diana and I had once had. More importantly, what we could have had, had

it not been for me falling deeper and deeper into the tangled web that the

Syndicate was weaving for me. This not only causing the demise to our

relationship but also my personal demise as well.

Getting up to walk to the bedroom to put on a pair of boxers and a t shirt, he

glances at the dresser, with a big sigh, he sits down hard on the corner of the

bed. The same bed that they went over cases in, the same bed that they used to

sleep in, the same bed that they made love in on so many nights.

God, how he missed her, and he knew that deep down inside, he sill loved her and

would always lover her, for she was part of him, she was his friend, his partner, his

lover, his wife. Nevertheless, he could never ask her to come back to him after

the things he put her through before. That is how much he loved her, that no

matter how lonely he was he could never bring her back to him, though he knew

that she would come back at anytime, if given the chance.

Reaching into the top drawer of the dresser beside the bed, the pulls out his old wedding

ring and starts looking at it. His mind started to race with the horrible memories of that

rainy night when she left him, breaking his heart and tearing life, as he knew it apart.

6:00 P.M.

The Mulder Residence

1990

Mulder was sitting home on the sofa drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette,

when Diana arrives home from work, drenched from head to toe, due to the

rainstorm going on outside. Mulder usually found this very much of a turn on, he

loved the thought of seeing her running from the car in her heels, with the rain

pouring down upon her. Usually, making a comment or two about how sexy he thinks

it is for women to be wet, though if her were wearing the heels and hose, he

would undoubtedly, think differently.

Tonight, he just looked at her as if she were an idiot for not taking an umbrella with her

today.

"Got a little wet did ya, you should have taken your umbrella, didn't you watch the

weather," he asks her, rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to the smoke rolling

up from the ashes he just flipped into the tray on the table.

"Fox, how long have you been sitting here, "she asks him in a quiet tone, knowing that

he is in one of his moods and she doesn't want to stir him up tonight.

Answering her in a hateful tone, "since this morning, why the hell does it matter to you?"

Looking at him pitifully, "Fox, you really should make this vacation a productive one, do

something around the house, visit some old friend, or go see your parents," she replies

disapprovingly.

Almost yelling at her he reply, "don't tell me how to spend my vacation, if I want to sit

here on my ass all week, I will," he yells, turning his attention once again to he television

that is on in the background though nobody is really watching it.

"Fine, you do that, you just sit here and drink yourself into a stupor all because poor Fox

Mulder has to take two weeks off work."

Walking into the bedroom, she slips off her wet shoes, and she then continues with the

rest of her clothing, peeling them from her one piece at a time. She then picks up the pile

of wet clothes and carries them into the adjoining bathroom, tossing them into the tub,

she grabs the towel on the rack next to the door on her way out. She towel dries her hair

a bit, to stop it from dripping onto her shoulders, she then reaches into the closet and

grabs her navy blue robe and wraps it around her. She tosses the towel against the door,

walks over to the bed, props a few pillows up comfortably against the headboard, and

sits down.

She starts reading a book that is lying on the nightstand beside the bed, when she hears

the front door slam. "Fox? Fox? Dammit!" Putting the book down on the bed, she walks

into the living room, his cigarette is still burning in the ashtray, the half-empty beer still

sitting on the table.

She puts out the cigarette, and picks up the beer, taking it into the kitchen, she dumps

the beer into the sink. Switching off the television on the way back in to the bedroom,

she picks up the telephone and calls his cell number. "The cellular customer you are

trying to reach is unavailable…Dammit Fox!"

7 ½ Hours Later

1:30 A.M.

The Mulder Residence

Mulder arrives home drunk, but no more than when he left the house. He is a

little wet, but most of the rain has stopped now, it is just a light mist so it

is just enough to wet his hair and face a little.

He walks through the living room, through the bedroom, and continues into the

bathroom, passing Diana as if she were not even in the room.

Looking at him with a look of relief, "Fox, where have you been? I was very worried, I

tried to call you on your cell but I couldn't get you."

He walks fully into the bathroom and slams the door, tuning her out as if she were not

even speaking.

"Fox" no answer, "Fox!" still no answer, she walks to the bathroom door and opens it

to see him doing his nightly hit of cocaine. "Dammit Fox, I told you that you have to stop

this, either you get help or I will get it for you." He reaches over, slams the door in her

face, and goes on about his business.

She walks to the bed, picking up the telephone, she starts dialing a number as he walks

out of the bathroom. He glances at her, noticing the phone in her hand, "who are you

calling at this hour?" he asks curiously, though, no longer in a bad mood as earlier

tonight, which she is very thankful for.

Looking at him with a concerned look on her face, "I am calling someone to get you the

help you need."

A look of anger crosses his face as he slaps the phone from her hands. "I don't need

your help, all I need is for you to stop being such a bitch, and who the hell do you think

you are telling me what to do? As a matter of fact, I think you just need to stay the hell

away from me and everything will be fine."

Hurt and upset, "fine, I will do just that," she says, grabbing her suitcase from under the

bed and opening it. She starts packing a few items from the top drawer in the dresser.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" He asks her.

Crying now, "away from you Fox, as far away as possible," she replies while continuing

to pack.

Mulder is in a rage now, "Oh no, you aren't going anywhere," grabbing he suitcase and

throwing it across the room. She watches as clothes go flying across the bed and the

suitcase drops to the floor with a thud.

Walking over to him, she reaches up and slaps him across the face, then the realization

of what she has just done, hits her. He paces toward her with a look of madness in his

eyes, with every step he takes forward, she is taking two back. He reaches her and

punches her square in the face, knocking her into the dresser. She feels the sharp corner

stab her in the back, and then she feels the blood rushing from her nose and few seconds

later, a slow, hot trickle of blood oozing from her busted lip.

As she slides down the side of the dresser, he grabs her by her robe and pulls her up to

him, he punches her twice in the side of the face, hitting her across her cheekbone,

and then complete blackness….

24 hours later

The Emergency Room

"Mr. Mulder, wake up…" he comes around slowly, to hear a strange voice which he

does not recognize. He looks around and realizes where he is. He is lying in a

hospital bed, his mind still a little clouded when the events from the night

before hit him. Attempting to sit up quickly, until he realizes he is in pain,

he then lies back a little, looking around frantically, "Diana? Where is she?"

he asks, very concerned.

"She is in the next bed, she was in considerable pain when she brought you in." Sitting

up slowly in bed with the nurse's assistance, he looks over at the bed next to him. It is

her, but she looks awful, he has never seen her in such a bad condition in his life, she

looks so pale and lifeless. He notices she has numerous bruises on her face and her lip

looks busted, and she appears to have multiple lacerations to her cheek and nose.

"OH MY GOD! What the hell have I done? Diana? Diana," he says quietly, trying to get

her attention.

Looking at him with pity, "sir, she is on pain medication, she probably wont wake up for

another half hour or so. In the meantime, we have to keep an eye on you, how are you

feeling?"

Looking at the nurse with tears running slowly down his cheek, "I am fine, I just need to

talk to my wife, what is wrong with her?"

Looking at her with deep sympathy, and then looking back at Mulder, "well sir, she

seems to have a broken jaw, I think that is all that was broken, it must have been a

terrible wreck."

Looking up at the nurse with a look of confusion, "what are you talking about?"

"Well sir, she said you were driving and you guys had a wreck and that you would

blame yourself due to the drugs and alcohol that you had in your system."

Looking at her with a look of confusion, "how did you know, I mean, what…"

Looking over his chart, which she had in her hand already, "we had to pump your

stomach, and honestly sir, we found a little bit of everything inside you. You will have to

fill out a report before you are allowed to leave, but that will come later, when you guys

get better, for now you should just try to concentrate on getting better."

Looking down at his arm where the IV is connected, he starts playing with the IV tubing,

with his mind racing, he looks back at the nurse, "can you leave me? I want to

rest for a little while, and on your way out could you shut the door please, my

wife likes the door shut while she is sleeping."

Nodding at him, "sure sir, no problem, I will be right outside, if you need anything, just

ring the desk," she replies with a sorrowful smile. She quietly walks out of the hospital

room, shutting the door behind her.

Mulder looks over at Diana, he gets up out of bed and takes his IV bag off the hanger

and walks toward her.

"Diana, " he says, walking to her bed, touching her chin with the tip of his thumb softly,

whispering, "I am so so sorry, I don't know what happened, I don't remember

anything."

Turning her head to look at him through the tears, and the one eye, which is swollen

almost totally shut by now, she speaks to him the best that she can, due to the swelling in

her face. "Shhh Fox, don't… you were under the influence, I am ok, I just have a

broken jaw, it could have been worse… much worse. You passed out and I brought

you in. They had to pump your stomach and they have your driver's license. I doubt that

you will get it back without taking some treatments and classes…"

Hurt and ashamed by what he has done, "I don't care as long as I have you, and know

that you still love me and will always be here," he says, sobbing.

Looking away from him, "well Fox, I do love you, I will always love you, but I am

leaving. I have been transferred, effective immediately, out of the country, I found out

yesterday, but I did not get a chance to tell you when I came home from work, you

know how things are sometimes. I will miss you terribly, but I think that we need to be

apart now, this transfer could not have come at a better time. It will make it quite a bit

easier for me to leave now, I have been thinking about it… for a few weeks

now. I think you need to be by yourself, work things out.

I want you to do one thing for me... please get some help, I want you to promise me that

you will do this for me Fox" she says, handing him her wedding ring.

Looking at the ring in his hand, looking back at her, he starts shaking and starts crying a

bit harder. "Diana no, don't do this honey, please, I am sorry, please don't leave me, I

can't do this alone, I don't know how to be alone, I love you. I need you to be with me,

I can't get through life by myself, after I lost Samantha, you were the one

person who believed in me and all my crazy ideas of what happened to her, now

you can't just leave me here to face this alone. I won't make it on my own, not

losing you, I need you with me, now more than ever, and don't you see that?"

Looking at him with concern and love. I love you too Fox, but I cant do this and

I wont, I am leaving , that is the decision I have made, and I hope that if you

truly do love me as you say you do, you will respect my decision," she says.

Looking at her as if he is totally lost, "I will respect your decision, I am so

sorry and I love you so very much, I will never stop loving you, Diana, I want

you to know that, and if you hate me because of this, I do understand. I am a

monster and I will file all the appropriate reports on myself as soon as we are

released. I just wish you would reconsider and give me another chance, "he says,

with the slightest look of hope.

Looking sternly at him, "no Fox, I cant do that, if I give you another chance, you and I

both know, that you will never get the help you need, you have to do this, for me, for

yourself," she says.

Getting up from the bed and sitting in the chair beside her, he puts his head down in

her lap and weeps like a baby.

He remembers falling asleep for the last time with her, his head in her lap with her running

her fingers through his hair, them both crying all night, until sleep got the best of him.

He awoke to see her still crying and still awake, yet full of love for him. That is the

moment that he knew, her decision was right. For the both of them. She should leave,

she deserves better than what he has given her.

All of the sudden, all these thoughts of his past are interrupted by a knock on

the door.

"Mulder, it's me, "says Scully, through his apartment door.

He jumps up and walks to the door, not realizing that during all of the memories, he has

been crying and is now wearing his old wedding ring.

Opening the door, he sees Scully, "Mulder, I …Jesus Mulder, what happened to you?

Are you ok? What is wrong," she asks, looking very concerned.

"I am fine, I was just thinking about someone, and my past."

Still looking worried, but knowing that he is Mulder and he will only tell her what he

wants to tell her, she tries to change the subject, "ok, well I thought since I was in the

area, I would drop the autopsy reports off myself so you wouldn't have to wait for the

fax."

Looking at the papers in her hand and taking the reports from her, glancing over them

"ok Scully, thanks, I am going to go to bed now, I am tired," he says, taking her by

the arm and helping her into the hall.

Looking at him strangely…but Mulder, I …" smiling at her "goodnight Scully, see you

tomorrow" shutting the door on her. Yelling at him through the door, "good night

Mulder," she says, with a sigh, then she walks off.

He sits on the sofa, picks up a bag of sunflower seeds, and opens them noticing

the wedding ring that is still on his hand. With a smile and a single last tear,

he walks toward the bedroom to put the ring back up, stops at the bedroom door,

and turns around. Walking back to the desk, he takes it off, drops it in the top

drawer, making a mental note to put it away in the bedroom dresser later, he

sits back down on the sofa, and starts thinking about Scully.

He starts to think about all of the things that they have been through together

in the past 6 years, all the times she has doubted him and he has doubted her.

All of the times that they have doubted everyone else but each other, and then

he thinks of how he treated her when she brought the reports to him.

He picks up the phone and dials her cell phone…ring…ring…ring…ring… "The cellular

customer you are trying to reach is unavailable" a look of worry crosses his face, hanging

up and dialing her home number he gets the machine, "Scully, it's me,

call me as soon as you get this message, its urgent." He hangs up the phone and

picks up his bag of sunflower seeds and starts thinking about the last case

before the X Files was reopened.

The bombing in Texas, the bodies, the bees... poor Scully. He thinks about all of the

trauma she underwent for his cause, why did she do it? She was a wonderful doctor,

why didn't she just go be a doctor? Why go through all of the things that she has been

through?

The X Files were just a job to her, nothing more, she did not have to do this every day.

She doesn't even believe in the supernatural. Was there a reason? If so, what could

be that important to her that she risks her life daily? He couldn't figure it

out unless, was it all for him? Surely not, there must be something more to it.

He started thinking about them being chased by the helicopters and running

through the corn and how terrified he was that he would not get to her in time

to give her the vaccine, he had a sudden flashback of her in the cubicle, in the

icy water. She looked so cold, so pale, and so fragile. He remembers wondering

if she were even breathing when he saw her pale face and empty eyes. He was

almost scared to break the glass surrounding her, for the fact that she may be

dead already and all because of him.

He was horrified at that thought, the thought of going to her mother and telling her that

her daughter had been killed because of him, after she had already lost Melissa. He

could not bear that, the thought of a funeral, the thought of going to work and not seeing

her sitting across the desk from him every day. Not seeing her eating tofutti dreamsicle

or yogurt with be pollen for lunch, not being able to joke with her abut it. Not being able

to try to make her believe in anything supernatural. He couldn't, he

lived for those elements, and he lived for the X Files. He could not risk losing

another woman that he loved due to his own selfish cause.

Wait, did he say loved? Did he love Scully? Was that even possible? The thought of the

news of her resignation flashed back to him, the tears in her eyes when he begged her to

stay on the X Files with him, for him. The time in the hall where they had

almost kissed, he then realized…he did love her. Though he loved Diana, it was

over between them, but Scully, she was there every single day, testing him,

listening to him, criticizing him, laughing with him, could she actually love

him as he loved her? Was it plausible for Dana Scully, woman of steel, ice queen, to love

someone like Mulder? Was this a possibility?

The ringing of a telephone interrupted these thoughts. Answering the phone with

a little frustration in his voice, due to the interruption, "Hello?"

Scully's voice comes across the line, "Mulder, I am home, I just got your message, what

did you need? Is everything ok?

Happy that she was the one to interrupt his thoughts, a smile spread across his face at

the sound of her voice. "I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted earlier, I had

been thinking about someone and I had no right to rush you off or treat you the way I

did, and I am sorry for hurrying you off like that. I do appreciate the fact that you came

all the way over here to bring the reports and try to disprove any belief that I may have

about this case though," he said, grinning.

Giggling at his accusations, "Mulder, your nuts, I did not try to disprove anything, I just

wanted to drop by, that's all. I figured that since I hadn't seen you since Friday and this

is Monday and I wasn't in the office today and I hadn't heard from you all weekend that

I should come by and see how you were."

Smiling, "so the answer is yes."

Confused, she says…"huh."

Smiling to himself, "oh nothing, nothing, just thinking about someone."

Curiously, she asked, "mind if I ask who?"

Thinking quickly, "Oh, uh, Samantha, I was thinking about out Samantha." With a look

of relief from them both, her for the fact that he was not thinking about Diana…and him

for the fact that Scully bought the lie about Samantha. "Mulder…get some rest and I will

see you in the morning, good night Mulder."

In a very mischievous tone, "Its' Fox…and goodnight to you too…Dana." She hears a

dial tone and she looks strangely at the phone and hangs it up.

"Hmmm, I wonder what that was all about, maybe I will call him back," she

thinks, picking up the phone. "No, this is just one of his silly little games

and he wants me to call him, besides, I am sure he will tell me tomorrow, at

least I hope he till tell me tomorrow, I hate when he makes me wonder like

this."

Deciding to go take a bath instead, she carries the phone with her to the bathroom. She

set's the phone down beside the bathtub and turns on the water. The conversation on

the phone runs through her mind. "Fox," thinking how strange it sounded, "Fox….Fox,"

yet how mysterious and sexy he made it sound at the same time, was that the plan, was

he trying to turn her on?

Fox, nobody calls him that, except for Samantha…oh and Diana," rolling her eyes at the

thought of Diana. She looks at the water, then walks to the cabinet beside the sink,

reaches in, and picks up a small bottle of bubble bath. She closes the cabinet

back and walks to the tub, she opens the Lavender and Eucalyptus bubble bath and

adds some to the water. She sets the bottle back on the sink, and then she slips

out of her work clothes and into the nice hot bath.

Ah, Lavender and Eucalyptus, I haven't had any of this since my vacation last year, I

don't know why I haven't bought some before now. Thinking back to her vacation last

year, remembering how may times a day Mulder called her while she was in Maine.

That thought makes her smile, "what would he do without me?" Then thinking again,

"what has he done without me? I know so little about his past, except for the

fact that Samantha has been missing since childhood that is all I really know

about Mulder's past. I know that some Phoebe "Green was in his life," rolling

her eyes again. "Oh and who could forget, miss perfect…Diana. Who exactly were

these women to him, and how much of a role did they play in his life?

Frohike, Langley and Byers now a little about Diana, but I am sure they don't know

much, after all , it is Mulder and he is going to keep it all under wraps about his

private life, right? On the other hand, what if they do know something? I wonder if they

could tell me anything about Diana? I wonder if they knew about Phoebe? Well, I guess

it is none of my business, I mean, if he wanted me to know, he would tell

me…right.

But then again, I am his partner and I do spend every day with him, and he knows about

Jack and I, and the relationship we had, well he knows enough,

but this is not about me…no, I will just leave it alone.

Sitting there in the bath, looking for something else to focus her mind on, finding nothing

to focus on whatsoever, she stands up, grabs the towel off the edge of the tub and wraps

it around her. Reaching over into the water, pulling the silver lever up to let

the water drain, she leans back up, and walks out of the bathroom, flipping the

light switch off as she leaves.

She walks to her bedroom, looks at her pajamas that are lying on the bed, picks them

up then drops them back onto the bed. "No way," she thinks, while walking to the

closet. She pulls out a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt that she got on vacation that says,

"MAINE" on the front, and "GOOD OLE' NEW ENGLAND HOSPITALITY" on the

back. She tosses them on the bed, grabs her shoes, and tosses them toward the bed

too, then she stops and listens, she hears the phone.

"Dammit" it is still in the bathroom, she runs down the hall to the bathroom and picks up

the phone. "Hello?" "Dana, honey? Are you ok? You sound a bit out of breath," Maggie

says. A little let down because it wasn't Mulder, "oh, hi mom, I am fine, I was running

into the bathroom to get the phone, I left it in here after my bath," thinking to herself, "I

cant believe mom called, I have things to investigate."

"Well, I was just wondering if you made it home, you hadn't called me and I was getting

worried. You know how I get when you do not call me. You know how worried I am

about you Dana, I was getting ready to call Fox if you weren't home, and…"

interrupting her, "Mulder, mom…call him Mulder."

"Well, anyway Dana, we are supposed to have lunch tomorrow and I

was wondering if you still wanted me to pick you up or not," thinking to

herself, I wonder what Mulder is doing for lunch tomorrow, "Dana? Are you still

there?" "I'm sorry mom, I know you get worried about me, and I forgot to call,

but yes mom , pick me up for lunch, sorry, I was thinking about work.

So I will see you at noon tomorrow." Sounding a little sleepy, "OK honey, see you

tomorrow, get some sleep, goodnight Dana." "Goodnight mom." Hanging up the

phone, she walks out switching off the light as she leaves…this time, taking the

phone with her.

She walks back into the bedroom, and she begins to get dressed, then she walks

over to her coat, pulls out her wallet, and throws it on the bed with her

t-shirt, she picks up her t-shirt and pulls it on, then she sits down and puts

her shoes and socks on. She grabs her coat, hangs it in the closet, and closes

the closet door. She walks back to the bed and sits down. She reaches over and

picks up her wallet. She pulls out her ID, under her ID she has some papers

folded up, which she pulls out. One is a picture of Emily, one is a picture of

Melissa, one is a picture of she and her dad and one is a picture of she and

Mulder at one of the FBI yearly functions, though she cannot remember which one,

probably a Christmas party. Then she pulls out a yellow post it, folded really

small and unfolds it. She opens it to reveal a phone number, she picks up the

phone and dials it.

After the first ring, she hears Langley's voice," Hello," "Langley, this is Scully, are you

guys up for a while?" Hearing Frohike in the background and a couple of other voices

which she cant quite make out, but figures it is probably just he and Byers watching

television, probably a show about some government conspiracy or something of that

nature.

Sure we are, you know we never sleep," he says, laughing. Ok, well I need some info

from you guys, could I swing by there sometime tonight," she asks, crossing her fingers.

"No problemo, see ya in a bit."

Smiling, "thanks, Langly, see you in a little while, bye," she replies, hanging up the phone

without even waiting to hear him say goodbye. She set's the phone down on the charger

and grabs her wallet off the bed. She walks out of the bedroom, switching off the light on

the way out. She then walks down the hall to the living room, she grabs her coffee coup

off the table, walks to the kitchen, sits it in the sink, walks to the door. Flipping off the

living room light, she walks out locking the door behind her. She walks out to her car

and gets in, starting the car she starts to drive.

While driving, she thinks about the last time she asked the boys about Diana,

and they uncovered, what seemed to her some interesting things, which of course

Mulder didn't believe.

Why didn't Mulder believe her that time? Was he that serious about Diana? What

exactly did they have before her? She continues to think about Mulder and then she

arrives at the drive, puling into the drive, she turns off the car and starts to get out.

Wait, she thinks, what the hell am I doing? This is none of my business, it is Mulder's,

not mine, and…no, it is mine too. I am his partner and it is only fair that I know what he

went through in his past in order to maybe understand why he feels the way he does

today, right? I mean, if her were to ask me about my past, I would, well maybe not tell

him everything, but I would tell him anything that I thought would affect our working

relationship.

Getting out and shutting the car door, she looks around, then walks to the door and

raises her hand to knock on the door. As her hand comes into contact with the door, she

taps one time and the door opens, to none other than, the one and only … Fox Mulder.

With a look of surprise on both of their faces, she turns around and walks toward her

car…"Shit, shit, shit…think Dana," she says while walking to the car.

"Hey, Scully, wait up…what are you doing here? Scully, stop."

Turning around to face him, "well, uh Mulder, I , uh wanted to uh, find out a think or two

about, uh, nothing, never mind, I have to go home and go to bed, I have a lunch date

with my mom tomorrow, uh…nite," she says, turning around and walking toward the car

again.

She feels his fingers around her arm. "No way, you aren't getting out of this one that

easily sweetheart, "he says with a really mischievous grin. "What were you here for

really? Are you in trouble," he asks, looking a little worked. "Why didn't you call me

Scully? Don't you trust me? I am your partner, and you should call me first before

anyone else…I" interrupting him, "they why don't you be hones t with me?" Turning to

face him…" I was coming here to find out a few things."

Looking at her strangely, "about what Scully? What is so secretive that you can't even

share it with your partner?"

Looking up at him with the slightest look of hurt in her eyes, "Exactly, Mulder, that is

what I was coming here to find out," she says, looking down. Thinking to herself, I

shouldn't have asked, it was none of my business and now he thinks I am going behind

his back. Well, I was going behind his back, but no like the thinks.

He brushes a few strands of auburn hair out of her face, and she looks up at him,

"Mulder, I want to know about your past, all of it, including Phoebe Green, and Diana

Fowley."

He looked at her with the strangest look she has ever seen, which makes her wonder if

she should have even asked him this, and then without saying a work, he turns and walks

back into the door and closes it.

She runs up toward the door. As she opens the door, the boys are all three standing in

the doorway as she peeks around the door to see Mulder gathering his things and he

shoots a glance at her to make sure she notices him pick up a photo album and he walks

to her and hands it to her, then he walks out the door.

In Unison, "bye Mulder" from the boys.

She turns to look at them, looks down at the book, looks out at Mulder walking

toward her car and looks back at the boys.

"Well, Scully, you better go, he is waiting," says Frohike.

"Bye guys, thanks for the help, or something," she says, walking out. She gets to her car

to see Mulder in the drivers seat, so she walks around to the passenger seat and gets in.

Handing him her keys, she looks at him and sees that he is upset, so she decides that she

will just sit quietly until they arrive home.

The silence or guilt, one of the two, gets the best of her, as they are driving.

Looking at him, "Mulder, I am sorry, it is none of my business, you don't have

to tell me anything, I know that I have overstepped my boundaries with you and I

am sorry. I can take you home and we can forget that any of this happened."

He stops the car at a stop sign and looks at her, "Scully, I just want you to trust

me, if this is what it takes, this this is what I will do."

Noticing another car behind him, he starts driving again, she realizes that they are going

to Mulder's apartment, not hers, which she doesn't mind, it is a change for her,

and she has always felt at home there anyway.

They arrive at Mulder's, they get out of the car and this time, he waits for her, without

taking off like usual. Which she notices and thinks peculiar, but then again, he is Mulder.

They walk through the lobby, get on the elevator and walk to the door, not another

word being spoken.

Great, she thinks "he is going to give me the silent treatment, but I

deserve it, I was being nosey and untrusting."

After opening the door for her and letting her in the apartment, he follows her inside. He

shuts the door, flips on the light switch and locks the door behind him.

She walks to the sofa and sits down, he looks at her and smiles that pathetic Mulder

smile that we all know and love, which makes her smile back.

"Do you want anything Scully? I am going to have an iced tea."

"Sure Mulder, that is fine."

He reaches into the almost empty refrigerator and pulls out 2 of

the 3 bottles of iced tea that he has in there. He shakes them and opens them

bringing them to the sofa, and then he sits down.

"Ok, let's do this, what do you want to know?" She looks at him and then looks down,

as if she shouldn't be asking anything of him. "Mulder, I … interrupting her, "No Scully,

you went there tonight looking for answers… answers that I haven't given you. And I

am here to give them to you, I want you to trust me Scully, you are very important to me

and your trust is very important too, so please, feel free to ask me anything you want.

Looking at him, "Mulder the last time I asked about Diana, I had went to ask the boys

and you got offended by it and I don't want to offend you ."

"Scully, Diana is a very touchy subject, one to which I was not prepared for when I

arrived there and I got offended because I was not prepared to talk about it, and

because you didn't ask me, you asked them. Scully, if you feel there is anything…

anything ever you want to ask me, feel free. Feel free to ask me, don't feel like you have

to go to the boys. Diana and I used to be together."

"Mulder, you don't have to tell me, really, I do trust you, I was just wondering why I

didn't ever hear of any of these people from your past before, that is all I was

wondering. Frohike told me that Diana was your chickadee, I knew you two dated, that

isn't what is important to me, it is…"

Interrupting her again, "Scully, we were married."