"It means… It means whatever you want it to mean. Good night."
Whatever she wanted it to mean… but what did she want it to mean? She sighed as she stood up and walked to the parking garage, got in her car and drove home.
Setting the watch on the table, she opened a bottle of wine, pouring a glass as she stared at it. It seemed improbable that it was not Jack, but a killer taking over his body? It was just too much to believe… and yet, there was proof.
She sighed, took a big drink of wine and set the glass down. Jack had been a wonderful man and a great agent. Their relationship had been intense and had not lasted long, but it had been what she needed at the time.
The phone rang and she jumped, her heart racing. Walking across the room, she took a deep breath and reached for the handset.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Scully. It's me." She heard Mulder say and she smiled softly.
"Hey. Everything okay? Did we get a case?"
"No," he said with a chuckle. "Nothing like that."
"Hmm," she hummed, glancing at the watch as she walked over to the table.
"I uh… you can say no, but uh…"
"Yes?" she asked with a small frown and he sighed.
"Well, you mentioned that you and Jack celebrated your shared birthdays."
"Yeah…" she said, picking up the watch and running her thumb over the inscription she had added to it.
"I uh… I know that won't happen again and so I was… I uh…" He cleared his throat and she smiled, now knowing where he was going with his questions.
"You're still two months early," she said quietly.
"Oh, come on, Scully, you have to know me a little by now," he said, and she could hear his smile. "Two months… that might as well be a lifetime away." She exhaled a laugh and she heard him chuckle.
"We don't have to go where you two have gone, if you don't want to," he said quietly and she nodded, even though she knew he could not see her. "I just thought… he was important to you, a fellow agent… we should celebrate his life." She closed her eyes as they suddenly filled with tears.
"Okay," she whispered.
"I could pick you up and we could go anywhere you want."
"I'd like that."
"Okay, good. I'll be there in about half an hour."
"Half an hour…" she repeated and he hung up.
Doing the same, she set the phone on the table and wiped her eyes. She put Jack's watch on her arm, just behind her own. Even at the tightest setting, it was still a little too big, but she did not take it off. Not yet.
Going into her room, she changed her clothes, putting on something more casual, before stepping into the bathroom to touch up her makeup. Going back into the kitchen, she finished the glass of wine as she waited for Mulder.
She thought of the last time she and Jack had celebrated their birthdays and she had given him the watch. He had given her a necklace, one that was not exactly to her taste, but she had liked it well enough.
Well, until a liver eating mutant had taken it as a trophy, she thought, rolling her eyes with a shake of her head.
But they'd had fun at that dinner, Jack more relaxed than usual.
Sighing, she looked at his watch again, before she took it off and laid it on the table. Touching the face of it gently, she shook her head.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
A soft knock sounded at the door and she took a deep breath. Picking up her coat, she slid it on as she grabbed her purse and her keys. She opened the door and Mulder smiled at her. He had changed into casual clothes as well and smelled of fresh cologne.
"Ready?" he asked and she nodded.
As she closed the door, she glanced back at the watch on the table with a sad smile. Locking the door, she put her keys in her purse and fell in step beside Mulder, ready to celebrate Jack and their last double birthday.