not make as much sense, but I am unwilling to alter it.
Author's Notes: Lyrics denoted by italics . Rest of notes at the end
Dedication: To everyone who has helped me out on this
series. You know who you are.
The halls of the hospital were crowded, so they remained silent until they were in the parking lot.
Neither of them really knew what to say anyway. The trilling of a cell phone broke the unearthly silence.
"That's mine. Scully."
"Scully, are you both alright?"
"Yes Sir, we are both fine. Mulder's a little banged up, but he'll live. Where are you Sir?"
Scully glanced over at her decidedly none the worse for wear partner and raised an eyebrow. Mulder
looked down at her and chuckled.
"I'm on my way home and thought I'd better check up on you two, make sure you got home alright."
"We'll be fine Sir. I was just going to drive Mulder home. I'll have our report on your desk on Monday."
"Take your time Agent Scully, we wouldn't want to start the year off right, now would we."
"No Sir. Good night and Happy New Year Sir."
Scully hung up and looked up at Mulder. He was leaning against the side of the building, looking
fairly doped up.
"Mulder, what did they give you?"
"I don't know. But here's the prescription for some more. Why? You want some?"
"No Mulder. Let get you home and into bed."
"Scully, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to wait until I was incapacitated to get me into
bed."
Scully stifled the urge to reach out and pull him to her. These feelings were new to her, she had fought
so hard to maintain their friendship. That Mulder was still able to joke spoke volumes about how he was
handling this unexpected wrinkle.
"Shut up. And get in the car."
"Yes Ma'am."
Once in the car Mulder slumped down in the seat and nodded off. Scully took a quick look around the
inside of the car. He always got the better rental, she thought to herself. As she started the car, she
noticed that the car had a CD changer. The radio came on and she heard the last song she needed to
hear.
We split their heads
And eat their brains.
Scully hit the closest button to her, which started the CD changer. Mulder roused himself enough to
complain.
"Come on, Scully, I like that song."
"Well, tough. I've had enough of people eating people to last a lifetime."
Scully listened to the CD changer for a second, making sure that the music coming from it was
tolerable.
He turned to me as if to say
Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you.
It's going to take a lot to take me away from you.
There's nothing that a hundred men
Or more could ever do.
I'd best the rains down in Africa
Going to take some time to do
The things we never have before.
Scully glanced over at him before pulling out of the parking lot and saw that he was sound asleep. She
marveled at his ability to fall asleep anywhere, at a moments notice. This caused her to also wonder about
his inability to get more than 4 hours of sleep a night. She knew the nightmares had something to do
with it, but not why he didn't have those nightmares while he was sleeping in the car.
"It's the little things-"
"What was that, Scully?"
"Sorry Mulder. I didn't mean to wake you."
"Why are we still in the parking lot?"
"Go back to sleep."
"But Scully, when I hear this song I think of you."
"I seek to cure what's deep inside
Frightened of this thing that I've become."
She pulled out into the street and started towards home.
Mulder's choice in music was eclectic, to say the least. After the first song was over, Scully heard
something come out of the stereo that she never would have expected.
If he loved you, like I love you
I would walk away in shame.
I'd move town
I'd change my name.
When he watches you
When he comes to buy your soul.
On your hand his golden rings.
Like he'd use a bird that sings.
When we dance
Angels will run
And hide their wings.
Scully was a little shocked. She'd never picked Mulder to be the romantic, or to like Sting. It was
too mellow for him, or so she thought.
I will love you more then life,
If you would only be my wife.
She'd never heard this song before, but she found that she liked it, immensely. She wanted to know what
else was in the changer. She reached for the skip button and felt Mulder's hand on her wrist.
"Leave it."
She pulled her hand back and returned it to the steering wheel. In a few moments time the next song
started. This was one she recognized.
You ought to know by now
That a man can't hold on forever.
So why'd you keep me waiting here
When you know it makes me want you more.
You ought to know by now
How it feels to be loved
So why'd you keep me hanging here
With this stone around my heart
Dragging me down.
Scully knew there was meaning to these songs. And she knew what they were. She had to say something.
"Mulder, why didn't you just tell me?"
"How, Scully? How was I supposed to when everytime I try, you blow me off?"
All I'm trying to do
Is trying to get next to you.
Let me in, let me in.
The tears started to well in Scully's eyes. The road became blurry. She knew she should pull over, she
didn't want to kill them both on the first day of the year.
"Mulder, I need to stop."
"Ok, whatever."
She pulled the car onto the shoulder, allowing it to coast to a stop. She placed her head on the steering
wheel and could control the tears no more.
"Mulder, this isn't the right time. For either of us."
"If not now, then when, Scully? When is the right time? When one of us is hospitalized? Or dead? Tell
me when and I'll be there to tell you. But I'd rather say it now."
"Someone told me yesterday
That when you throw your love away
You act as if you just don't care
You look as if you're going somewhere.
But I just can't convince myself
I couldn't live with no one else
And I can only play that part
And sit and nurse my broken heart.
"Damnit Mulder, I almost lost you tonight, again. I don't think I can handle that on a daily basis."
"Scully, if you'd be with me, I'd quit right now. I'd drive a desk, shuffle papers, work from 9 to 5, if
that's what it took."
"Never Mulder. You'd die in that kind of job. Mulder, it's too much, too soon. Can we just go home?"
In this theatre
That I call my soul,
I always play the starring role.
I feel so lonely, so lonely.
Scully stabbed out with her index finger and hit the skip button. The next song wasn't much better.
Just as I thought
It was going all right
I found out I'm wrong
When I thought I was right
It's always the same
It's just a shame
That's all.
I could say day
And you'd say night.
Tell me it's black
When I know that it's white.
Always the same
It's just a shame
That's all.
I could leave
But I won't go
Though my heart
Might tell me so.
I can't feel a thing
From my head down to my toes.
"Damnit Mulder, what's with the British rock?"
"I did spent my college days at Oxford, ya know."
"OK, ok. Is all the music in here this depressing?"
Truth is I love you
More then I wanted too
There's no point in
Trying to pretend.
There's been no one
Who makes me feel
Like you do.
Say we'll be together
Til the end.
"No, I don't suppose so. Skip two tracks. It's weird, but not depressing, I don't think."
Scully punished the skip button two more times then pulled back onto the road. She really wanted to get
home, get Mulder to bed, and have some time to think.
Home by the sea.
Home by the sea.
Home by the sea.
Home by the sea.
Creeping up the blind side
Shimmy up the walk
Stealing through the dark of night
Climbing though a window
Stepping to the floor
Checking to the left and the right.
Picking up the pieces, putting them away.
Something doesn't feel quite right
Help me someone
Let me out of here.
Then out of the darkness, suddenly heard
Welcome to the
Home by the sea.
"Ok Mulder, it's not depressing, but it's definitely weird."
"Told ya."
"No Mulder, You cannot borrow the car. You are in no position to drive. Not with your arm like that."
"Does that mean you'll go for me, pretend to be me, and celebrate with the Gunmen?"
"Absolutely not. But I'm not comfortable with you driving either."
"Scully, I'll be ok. I'll take your car, It's an automatic, right?"
"Yes, it is. But be carefully."
"I will. And when I get back we'll talk, ok."
"Yes Mulder. I think that's a great idea. Now, have fun. And say hi to the Three Techno-Stooges for me."
"Will do. Bye. Oh, and Scully?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
Before she could say another word he was out the door. She could hear him running down the stairs.
God, I hope he doesn't fall. When she heard her car start she knew he had made it down the stairs in one
piece.
Why was she so worried? It was just across town to the Gunmen's. How much trouble could he get into?
Still, she wished him Godspeed and prayed for his safe return. She had a lot see wanted to talk to him
about.
The End?
Original publish date: 01/05/00
Author's notes:
This was an answer to the Church of X Jan (2000). challenge #2:
:In keeping with our traditional "holiday challenge", write a New Year's story picking up where "Millennium"
left off. Yes, you can write a "Post-kiss Fic", but remember that extra credit is given for original ideas, not
the usual stock "They head off to Scully's apartment and shag" stuff. Let us see what the moment meant to
Mulder and/or Scully. Was it a friendly or romantic? Did they like it or hate it? Were they happy and
content with it, or disappointed? Angst is always good. Let us see what happened afterward. Keep in mind
that the kiss does not have to be the central subject. You might have Scully deal with the fact that she saw
walking dead people. If you do wish to go with the "shagging in the apartment" route, find some way
to make it different and original. You may begin the story before, during, or after the kiss, but be sure to
pick it up as close to the end of "Millennium" as possible, not the next day or two weeks later.
The songs, in order, are:
1.Peppermint Tribe by Saigon Kick from The Lizard
2.Africa by Toto from The Best of
3.When We Dance by Sting from Fields of Gold
4.You Ought to Know by Phil Collins from Dance into
the Light
5.So Lonely by The Police from Outlandos d'Amour
6.That's All by Genesis from Genesis
7.Home by the Sea by Genesis from Genesis
