Fox Mulder was sitting in his car, in the pouring rain, in front of Dana Scully's apartment. He slammed his hand on the steering wheel and screamed at himself. "Of course she's not home you idiot. The way you treated her today, she's probably on a plane for the other side of the world. God Mulder you screw up everything that's important to you." He began replaying the events of the afternoon in his head. His photographic memory was a curse sometimes. Earlier, Mulder was informed that he and Scully were once again being removed from the X-Files – permanently this time. He had fought and fought with the review board, but they had made up their mind. It was over. And he was pissed about it. So pissed that he yelled at Scully. No, he screamed at her. He accused her of not backing him up with the board and said she did it on purpose so that she could finally get away from him. "You got your wish Scully." He yelled as she left the office in tears. He knew it wasn't true even as the words were spewing from his mouth. He needed to apologize and see if he could salvage the best friendship he had ever had. But it looked like Scully didn't want to talk to him. And he couldn't really blame her. He slammed the steering wheel again. "Damn Mulder. You finally did it. You chased her away." Tears were welling in his eyes as he drove to his house.
He managed to drag himself to his apartment and inside. He shut the door and leaned back against it banging his head. He heard a rustle on the couch and pulled his gun. Rounding the corner, he saw the moonlight shining through the window and illuminating the face of his intruder. It was Scully. She was asleep on his couch. There was a God he thought as he put his weapon away and sat on the coffee table in front of her. He pushed her hair behind her ear and ran his fingers down her jawbone. She woke up at his touch and sat up quickly. "Mulder, are you alright? I've been looking everywhere for you. I was so worried." She had her hands on his face looking for bruises. She found the one on his fist from where he was hitting the steering wheel. She looked it over gently and must've determined it wasn't broken because she let go and continued checking him over. She was such a good doctor he thought to himself. That's what she should be, not an alien chasing joke of an FBI agent. Scully finished her cursory exam and sat back on the couch. "Mulder, you're not angry I'm here are you?" She looked terrified. Is that what it has come to he thought. She's afraid of me? "God no Scully. I'm so glad you're here. I just spent the last hour parked in front of your house waiting for you to come home. I thought you had packed up and left. I didn't think you'd be looking for me after the way I treated you today."
His head fell. Scully spoke softly and ran her hand through his hair. "Mulder just because I'm angry at you. And believe me I am. Doesn't mean I don't care about you and I don't worry about you. After I left the office today and cooled down, I came back to see if you had cooled down as well. You were gone, so I tried your cell. No answer. So I tried here, no answer. So I went to all your usual haunts and I couldn't find you. I even sat on the bench by the reflecting pool for 45 minutes in the rain just incase you showed up. I was so afraid you were going to do something stupid or maybe try to hurt yourself. I couldn't let that happen." He looked up and saw the concern on her face. "I'm sorry Scully. I didn't want to be in the office any more. I was so mad at myself after I said those things to you. I don't believe any of them Scully. I was just lashing out and you were there. I'm so sorry. You deserve so much better than that." He was losing his battle to hold back the tears. "Mulder, I know this won't make you feel any better, but I know you didn't mean what you said. That's why I'm still here. It still hurt, that's why I left in tears, but I know it was just your anger talking." He looked at her and took her hand. "How did you know that?" She closed her other hand around his. "Because I know you Mulder. I know that you are a stubborn, arrogant, selfish man who doesn't think before he speaks. But I also know that you care about me and trust me and I know that by now you've figured out that you can't chase me away with harsh words." She smiled and wiped the tears from his face. "Mulder, the X-files are my life now too. Do you really think I want to see them taken from us?" He shook his head. "I didn't think so. We'll get through this. We'll figure something out. Together. Like always." Mulder sighed. "Scully, can I ask you something?" "Of course Mulder. What?" "Why are you wearing my clothes?" Scully looked embarrassed. She had forgotten that she was wearing a pair of Mulder's boxers, his socks and a T-shirt. "I was soaked when I came back here and decided to wait for you, so I borrowed these. You don't mind do you?" Mulder pulled her into his arms. "Of course not, Scully. I don't mind. Anything you want of mine is yours." Scully pulled back a little so she could look in his eyes. "Do you mean that partner? Anything?" Mulder smiled "I don't have much to offer, but yeah, I mean anything." Scully was working up her courage to ask for what she really wanted. "Even your heart?" She whispered. Mulder chuckled. "God Scully you've had that for a very long time. I have to warn you, though; it's been broken a few times. It might be a little fragile." Scully put her hand over his heart. "I promise to take very good care of it. Maybe I can even fix a few of the fractures. I am a doctor you know." She smiled a radiant smile and Mulder pulled her close to him and buried his face in her hair. "You already have Scully. More than you'll ever know." She clung to him as if he was a life preserver. In a way he was. "Mulder, you know you have my heart too." He was stoking her hair. "Scully, what if I can't keep your heart safe? I wouldn't want to break it." She pulled away and rested her forehead on his. "Mulder, my heart isn't as fragile as yours. It can still take a few bumps and bruises. But you've been doing fine so far. Just keep up the good work G-Man." He smiled. Scully always knew what he needed to hear.
She wiped her tears and sat up on the couch. "Well, now that I know you're safe, I guess I should be heading home." Reluctantly, she started to get up and Mulder grabbed her hand. "Don't go Scully. Stay with me please." He sounded so sad. She couldn't refuse him. She squeezed his hand and answered his plea. "I'll stay." Mulder smiled up at her. "You always do." He got up from the coffee table and headed toward his bedroom. "I'm going to change out of these clothes. Maybe we could make some popcorn and watch a movie or something." Scully called after him. "It's 3:30 in the morning Mulder. Can't we just go to bed?" Scully realized what she had said and wanted to take it back, but Mulder wasn't going to let that happen. He peeked his head out of the bedroom and responded. "Why Agent Scully, I do believe you are coming onto me." He came out to where Scully was standing wearing only his boxers. When he got to where she was standing, he took her hand and began leading her back into the bedroom. Scully couldn't look him in the eyes. She knew what she would see – desire. And it scared her to death. "Mulder, I meant you know go to sleep. We've had a rough night, and…." She made the mistake of looking up at him and she realized that she really didn't want to fight this. She was standing in the bedroom of the man she loved more than life itself and he looked incredible in nothing but black silk boxers. He smiled at her. "And what Scully?" He moved closer. Their bodies were almost touching. "And, suddenly I'm not so tired Mulder." She stood on her toes and kissed him ever so gently on the lips.