Thanks to justawriter, LanaJoy, Kennedy Leigh Morgan, Claire, KaraLee713, and BrittanyLS!

Just in case this isn't totally clear, much time has passed since the last chapter here.

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Chapter 7 – Home

"Do you ever think about getting home, Mulder?" Scully was staring up at the ceiling of their darkened room, her eyes tracing the shadows of branches swaying in the wind.

"Hmm?

"Oh, sorry to wake you." She still could not get over how easily he was able to sleep here, considering his usual near-insomnia.

"No, no, it's okay. I'm up." He looked over at her, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know… I've just been wondering about it a lot lately. I mean, in the beginning we devoted so much time to trying to figure out a way back, and now…"

"Now we've settled in. Accepted how things are and rolled with the changes, as always. And we're together on this one. Right?"

"But I miss it, Mulder. I miss my home, my mom… Hell, I even miss my idiot brother. Don't you miss anything?"

"Besides indoor plumbing and cell phones, you mean?"

She glared. "Anyone, then?"

He paused, then replied sadly, "I guess I don't have anyone left to miss, at this point."

"But it doesn't bother you? Giving up the life you'd been leading, your whole existence?"

"Here, people believe us, Scully. We're heroes. We're making a difference. Hundreds of years into the future, we're seen as crackpots. Of course I like it better."

"You really expect me to believe that no one sees us as odd here? Despite the fact that we've hunted down more ghosts than I can count, a "goblins", and a witch that we brought home with us, among other things?"

"I didn't say they didn't think we were crazy. Just here, it's the good kind of crazy…"

She managed a small smile. "You're grasping, Mulder."

"Hey, I do my best. We're stuck here, regardless…"

"I know. But it doesn't help all the things that I've lost. And, most of all, I miss…"

She was interrupted by a loud, piercing sound from the next room. Mulder started. "What the hell…?"

The sound drew out until it became distinguishable as an attempt at a song. Scully winced. "Great. She's at it again."

Since Kerrilyn Wolfe had taken up residence within the palace walls, there had been no sign of her being a witch. She had, nonetheless, kept their lives interesting. She was easily bored, and constantly sought out new ways to attract attention to herself, especially from one Sir Fox Mulder.

Lately, she had taken up singing, if you could call it that. Secretly, it gave Scully more than a little pleasure that there was something that Kerrilyn was actually horrifically bad at, but she would never admit that out loud. Instead, she queried, "How are we supposed to sleep like this?"

"Um… How about this? I'll go talk to her."

"Is that such a great idea?"

"What's she going to do, jump me?"

"At this rate, I wouldn't be all too surprised if she did just that," she muttered.

Mulder grinned at her before walking out and down the hall to the next door. He knocked tentatively. "Hey, uh, Kerrilyn?"

Her door flew open and she gazed happily at Mulder. "I knew you'd come eventually. Well, what are you just standing there for? Come in, come in."

"Actually, I was just here to ask a small favor."

"Anything."

"Sir Scully and I are trying to get to sleep, so if you wouldn't mind keeping it down a little…"

"Oh." She sniffed angrily. "So you just want me to shut up, is that it?"

"No! No, that's not it at all…" Mulder trailed off awkwardly. They hadn't proven definitively that Kerrilyn was not a witch, and he didn't want to take any chances. "It's just that your singing is so lovely that it is distracting us, and we really must sleep – we have work tomorrow. But I would love to hear you more at any other point…"

"Tomorrow, at the ball?"

"What?"

"The ball, silly. The king's big birthday bash? I'm the entertainment." She laughed huskily and grinned. "You'll save me a dance?"

"Um, sure. Why not?"

"Good. Have a nice sleep then."

"Goodnight."

Shaking his head, he reentered his room and closed the door behind him. He remained standing, trying to make out Scully's shape in the dark room. "She stopped."

"Yeah, I know. My ears aren't bleeding anymore." She laughed humorlessly. "Thanks. Goodnight, then."

"Hey, hey. You never finished your sentence."

"Never mind. Let's just go to sleep."

Instead of going over to his bed, however, he sat down at the foot of hers. "Tell me. What do you miss even more, Scully?"

She didn't answer for a moment. Then, "In case you didn't notice, Mulder, I'm a man here," she replied harshly.

He froze, sensing her hurt and anger. "Of course…"

"And obviously, that fact is easily forgettable to you. Whatever. It's not that important. Just go."

"It's not that at all. I always see you as you, Scully. Definitely a woman. Regardless of what you're wearing."

"Sure."

He turned her body so she faced him, his hands brushing over her curves in the process.

"What?" She tried to sound affronted, but her voice was failing her. A tear came unbidden to her eyes, and she buried her face in his chest for comfort. "I just want to go home."

He nodded and stroked her hair. "Home is a relative word, I think," he whispered. "But if you want to try to find a way back to the twenty-first century, then I'm right there with you. We can make it our number one priority."

She nodded and whispered her thanks, then finally allowed her body to relax and drift to sleep in the comfort of his arms.

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Okay, short chapter, I know, but it's a transition one.

The direction that I want to take this is in becoming clear to me now. I'm estimating that in total this will be about twelve chapters, with the romance factor being boosted a lot, especially in the next couple.

I hope you'll like it, and, again, if you like what you read, please let me know that you're interested by reviewing!