Mulder looked down at his watch. 4:00 pm. Not long now, he thought to his self. He was parked, as X had told him, a little way up the street on the opposite side to Scully's house. He could see the dirt track leading to the house from his car. With a pensive sigh he grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and began munching on them. The seconds and minutes were dragging on and on; he just wanted it all to be over so he could get back to the future and see Scully again.
The sound of a car approaching made Mulder's head jerk up. His breath caught in his throat. It was a battered brown Pontiac and Mulder would've bet all he owned that it was a 1976 one. He continued to watch as the driver parked, opposite the dirt track, right where X said he would, and killed the engine. Picking up his binoculars from the passenger seat Mulder raised them to his eyes, just as the driver turned round. Mulder glanced down at the photo in his hand and then back through the binoculars.
It was him. Austin O'Brien.
Mulder checked his watch again. 4:22 pm. He had exactly eleven minutes before Scully showed up. He had to act fast. Climbing out of the car, Mulder approached O'Brien. Reaching to car, he tapped on the driver's window. O'Brien's head snapped round to face him. Mulder smiled and unfolded his badge, pressing it against the window before motioning for him to wind it down. O'Brien looked nervous, clearing his throat before he spoke.
"Is there a problem, Sir?"
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to move along," Mulder replied.
"Why? I'm not breaking any laws am I?" Mulder never missed a beat.
"Actually you are. It's a new idea the Government is experimenting with. No loitering in cars. They're trying it out primarily in this state, if it works they'll expand it to include other states as well. So, if you don't mind, I need you to move along."
Mulder paused a second before adding, "I'm going to be here all afternoon, so if I catch you back here again I will arrest you. Do you understand me?"
O'Brien nodded before rolling up his window and restarting his car. Mulder stood and watched as he pulled away from the curb and drove off down the street, turning a corner and disappearing out of sight. He continued to stand there for a few more minutes, just incase O'Brien was stupid enough to try and come back. When he didn't, Mulder returned to his car and climbed inside.
He glanced at his watch, 4:32 pm. In roughly 30 seconds Scully should arrive home and his task would almost be complete. He looked up just in time to see a figure approaching the house. He watched closely as the figure, hugging a book and folder to its chest, turned down the dirt track and disappeared from view. He knew that it had been Scully, he could tell from the red hair. His task was almost over. Now all he had to do was wait for Melissa and Charlie to show up, then he could meet X and get the hell out of here and back to his time. He just hoped that when he got back, Scully would be there.
