Chapter 7

Breakfast had been quiet with Daniel gone, but it was all right. Carolyn and Dana had enjoyed the day before when they went to a spa and discussed all manner of things both lighthearted and not. They shared some laughter and some fears, everything that good friends should do.

Patience was what she needed with her newly restored husband, she needed to remember that this was all new to him and that he had many things to relearn in his new life. They had become so entwined that she could call her and Daniel nothing but codependent.

She was only starting to realize that things were changing between them, that with his new body and his new life, that they had to. They had to untwine in order to entwine in this new reality once again. It was a startling revelation but one that Carolyn had to accept. She was determined to discover what it is that she wanted to do with her new life, and to that end she was now going through some old manuscripts she had started but abandoned. No time like the present to begin writing again.

She briefly thought about Dana and hoped that whether her friend was pregnant or not, that things would settle out between her and Fox. They were very dear to her and she wanted only the best for them.

She shook her head seeing the piles of papers around her and realized that she had some sorting to do, and that she might as well get started.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888

Scully was supposed to wait for Mulder before she took the test, she had promised him she would, but she had reached a point where she had to know the result. She had to know the answer so that she could figure out her feelings on this. She knew they shouldn't be so complicated regarding something she wanted so much, but somehow, they were. Maybe it was just nerves or trying to settle in to the normal life that she always wanted, or maybe it made things too real too fast.

She stared at the stick waiting for those eternally long two minutes to pass by, and when they did, she nodded and acknowledged the result. It was what was expected, she would have to tell her husband when he returned. Until then she had some time to gather her thoughts together.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888

It was mid-morning when Carolyn heard his footfall outside the open door of the master suite. She looked up from her various piles of paper as Daniel entered the room and she smiled at him. He seemed uncertain and hesitated as he stopped on the side of the desk opposite her and took a seat.

"You're back. Did you enjoy time with Fox?" She tried not to smirk at the thought.

"Good? Hmm, interesting, educational. I am not so certain about good."

"You didn't kill him or anything, did you?"

"Carolyn! Why would you even say that?" He raised his voice in outrage and then chuckled at the grin on her face.

"You had fun?"

"Again, not quite fun," he chafed as he said that, causing Carolyn to raise an eyebrow in speculation. "You didn't have a good time? You didn't have fun? But it was interesting and educational. Just what did you do?"

"The truth is that I would rather not say."

"Oh? Do you think I would be mad at you?"

"Possibly." He tugged on his ear, a sure sign that he was uneasy about something.

"Did you sleep with another woman?"

"God, no! How dare you even imagine such a thing! I would never do that to you, to us!"

"Daniel, calm down," she laughed at him. "I was only joking."

"Oh. Then you do not really care what Fox and I did on our day away from you and Miss Scully?"

"She's Mrs. Mulder now, remember?"

"Yes, but somehow that doesn't fit her well."

Carolyn shrugged, and the Captain looked around their room which was now piled with various stacks of papers and books and frowned.

"You have been busy."

"Well, your absence has given me some extra time, so I thought I would put it to use."

"Cleaning?"

"Sorting. I will have my answer for Sucellos. As for what I want to do with my life, it's what I've always wanted to do with my life, I want to write. It's in my soul."

"There is nothing new that intrigues you? Nothing else you yearn to do?"

"I have given this a lot of thought, really I have. There are other things I might like to do, like working with children, teaching, maybe even something like interior decorating. But even when I think of all those things I always come back to writing. I just can't imagine life without doing that. I guess it's too much a part of me."

"That is not a terrible thing," the Captain said.

"No, I guess not." She studied him, and he saw the concern in her eyes as she spoke. "What about you?"

"What you're really asking is if now that I am human again, if I will return to the sea?"

"Yes, I guess I am," Carolyn expelled a breath. "Do you know what you want to do?"

"Not completely."

"What does that mean?"

"That I do not know if I want to return to the sea." He sighed. "I have thought of other pursuits as well."

"Like teaching? You've mentioned that in the past."

"Yes, that is one. If I am landbound I would like to do something more creative. I do enjoy writing with you but do not believe that I would want to purse that as a permanent profession. And I am not sure that I would want to teach as a constant either. I have thought about law enforcement…"

"No," Carolyn said.

"No?" He gave her a quizzical look.

"No. I do not want you in law enforcement."

"I believe this is my decision, is it not?" His irritation was evident in his voice.

Carolyn took a deep breath and counted to ten before she spoke again. "Daniel, think about this for a minute. You are still newly human and after wanting to be together for so long we have a chance to have the life together that we have always wanted. Do you really want to risk that by taking on a dangerous profession? What if you got shot?'

He saw the shine to her eyes and understood why she was saying 'no' to this choice.

She shook her head. "I couldn't lose you…"

"Carolyn, I'm sorry, I didn't think," he said and went around the desk to pull her to him and into his arms. "You're right, I have no desire to leave you like that, nor of making you a widow again over the course of our lifetime."

"Thank you," she murmured, nestled within his arms. She drew away and studied his face. "Is there anything else you've considered?"

"Well, there is one thing, but you will think it absurd. I thought of it and I find it silly for a grown man to entertain such a thought."

"Daniel? What?"

"Well, the thing is…I'm very surprised by this…but you see…I rather like…well, cooking." His gaze was now focused at his boots as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Cooking?" Her voice was incredulous.

"I told you it was silly," he grumbled. "A grown man should never consider such a thing as a profession, especially someone like me."

Carolyn regarded him in amazement and waited for him to look at her again. When he did he was amazed to see that she wasn't laughing at him. He gave her a suspicious glance.

"Why aren't you laughing at me?"

"Because I never would have thought of this, I think it's an amazing idea."

"You do?"

"I do. You are a marvelous cook, far better than I."

"My love, forgive me, but that isn't much of a compliment."

Carolyn sighed. "My point is that you are very good at it, and I have noticed you are even better at it since your transformation."

"That's because I can smell and taste things more acutely, I am better able to differentiate subtle differences."

"I think you would be amazing at this. You could start your own restaurant."

"My own business?" His eyes lit with interest. "It would be something to challenge me."

"Starting a business is not an easy thing."

"You would steer me in the right direction?"

"Happily. I have a lot of business contacts that could help out too."

Daniel's blue eyes glistened in excitement. "This has some definite possibilities. I will investigate this further."

"Does this mean that you won't be heeding the call of the ocean?" She was still clearly concerned about this possibility and what it would mean for them.

"My dear, I still need to think on this too. There are so many things I miss about the ocean and being Captain of a ship. But, when I was doing that I did not have you in my life. Even when I think of answering the call of the sea, I cannot imagine being away from you for the extended time that would be required of me. And I did have that part time business with the small sailing ships. I could resurrect that if I wanted to do so."

"So that means?" Carolyn wasn't completely sure what he was saying.

"That I need some more time to puzzle this out. And I think it calls for some time on the ocean." He smiled at her in his most charming way. "Care to go sailing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? No, I'm sorry. I have a couple of appointments that I need to go to in the morning. If you want some company, you could always ask Dana. I think she has some issues that she is wrestling with too. Maybe it would do her good to get out?"

"Fox wouldn't consider it improper?" He frowned.

"Why would he do that? You've been sailing before with her. You can ask him too, but I don't think he'll go."

Daniel laughed at that. "I dare say that he remembers the last time I took him sailing."

"He does, and he still swears at you under his breath when that incident is brought up."

"All right, I will see what the weather forecast is for tomorrow and call Miss Scully…Mrs. Mulder and see if she would like to get out for a bit." He stepped close and took her in his arms once again. "I love you," he said, and turned her face to his and kissed her sweetly, and then again before releasing her.

"Are you feeling better?" Carolyn asked, a hopeful expression in her eyes from relishing the touch of his lips on hers.

"Possibly," he gave her a roguish smile. "I did enjoy the feel of your lips against mine, and the feel of you in my arms. It is helping me to remember." He was aware of buried emotions beginning to rise within him, deep buried emotions tied to his masculinity, to the desires he felt from being with a beautiful woman. Perhaps there was hope after all.

He stepped away from her, but with an encouraging smile, and turned and left the room.

Carolyn stared after him and for the first time in a long time felt hope stir within her.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888

AN: Thank you all for your kind reviews; they are appreciated - CM