This chapter is T-rated, there's a bit of smut in it, not much, if you don't like that – don't read it. It's still the flashback.

The flashback was originally written as a one-shot story which I decided not to publish. But I changed my mind when Don't Give Up refused to end like originally planned with one chapter.

Thanks for your reviews – I'm very happy for them.

Enjoy

Chapter nine

Don't Give Up

Before starting the engine, he gently brushed her cheek with the palm of his hand, "don't let you mind take you places you don't wanna go, Scully, slow down."

He knew her too well, there was no way of escaping; he wouldn't let her of the hook, it seemed. He wanted a new talk! Steeling herself, she looked up at him and offered a fake smile.

He followed closely behind her from the car and up to her front door. She felt his intense stare when she fumbled with the key. Within seconds it turned out to be impossible for her to steady her hand, and she felt hot sweat forms in her palms from embarrassment. Gently, he took the key from her and unlocked the door, pushing it open, he gestured with his spare hand for her to go inside. Mutely, he followed. She heard him closing the door while she dropped her coat on a chair.

Needing something to steady her nerves, she walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, knowing Mulder preferred beer over wine, she grabbed two bottles and turned to the dinning table in the kitchen. It would be safest with the large table between them. The sitting-room was out of the question, it would be too intimate crushing on the couch.

"Come in and sit down, Mulder!" she called. She handed him one of the beers when he came in. This time it was her waving her hand at him, communicating without words that she wanted him to sit down.

He obeyed willingly. For a minute, he watched her as she constantly sipped her beer and avoided eye contact.

"Scully, will you please look at me and relax, I'm harmless, at least so I've been told." He tried to lighten her mood.

Finally, she looked at him, a slight frown on her face and unhappiness clearly in the blue pools of her eyes.

She heard him sigh and saw the uncertainty in his eyes and her heart melted instantly, unknowingly, her eyes soften and the hard lines in her face smoothed away.

"Scully, I can't take it anymore" stopping he locked eyes with her; the intensity in them wouldn't allow any withdrawal from her.

"The last few months, you've flirted with two different men and your 'new focus' has been noticed in the bureau, too. You don't know how many agents who have questioned me about you, wanting me to slip in a word to you. Danny is working up his courage to invite you out; he has unfolded all the damn details of your upcoming date in details to me. Scully, I've tried to act like I don't care, tried to give you some freedom. But the truth is, I do care, very much."

Loosing his courage momentarily he studied his beer, when she kept quiet, he decided to fully dispose his heart and mumbled; "I want to be the one to brush away stray hair from your eyes, the one to stand close enough to you, to see the depths of your eyes, to bring a smile to your lips, the one to share an unspoken and private secret with you. And I want to be the only one to know every curve of you body and what it feels like underneath my fingers. I want to be the one who see your eyes clouded with longings and love. I want to be your one in five billion, Scully!"

Breaking her revenue, she breathed, "Mulder!" He was putting her fears to rest, he did care!" It wasn't just territorial instincts. His words left her speechless and light-headed.

"I though, we were right, when agreeing we had been caught in the events, even when it happened the seventh time. I believed, we shouldn't be more than work partners, that it was only moments of weakness. I fooled myself, Scully. We were never moments of weakness, only the weakness of not daring to be honest. You are my one in five billion, I won't lie anymore."

"Mulder!" was all she managed. It was unlike her not to react but all words had left her the moment he started his speech.

"How could you ask me to be the father of your child if you don't care for me? How could you take me to your bed Scully? Did you take the tattoo man to your bed?"

She saw the raw pain reflected in his eyes. "Of course not!" She stared at him in disbelief; "you know me better than that, Mulder, I haven't been with another man since you. It would be unbearable, unthinkable, when my heart is full of you." She whispered the last part, finding it difficult to share her feelings, when she still feared he would take his words back. It was hard to believe them after all they shared and thrown away, time after time.

Before she could think another thought, she felt two strong arms encircling her and pulling her up from the chair and into a tight embrace. Immediately, her arms enfolded him and her head found the well-known place on his hard chest, her breathing falling into tune with his. Sighing, she cherished the feeling of deep belonging.

The relaxed, content feeling, abruptly, shifted into a boiling rush, when his lips found hers. The hotness of his lips sends a tremble down her spine. Pure instinct drove her to slightly part her lips, when his tongue brushed her upper lip. A deep moan escaped her, when he pushed his tongue into her mouth and challenged her tongue into a duel of pleasures. Her knees buckled under her, and only his strong hold on her kept her from falling, every muscle in her body had turn into jelly. The wild dance in their mouths continued and left her breathless.

When his hand found a naked spot just above her skirt linen, it set her body on fire and covered her body with goose bumps, her own hands wandered up to his hair, pulling his face closer, she deepened the kiss. This time he moaned and pulled her body closer to his, it fit perfectly into his. A new fire was lit, when she felt his arousal pressing hard against her most private place.

Never breaking the kiss, he lifted her into his arms, kissing her hard before pulling his lips slightly away, he looked into her eyes asking for allowance, nodding she purred; "please, Mulder"

It was a request she needn't say twice, in large strides he carried her to her bedroom. Placing her in the middle of the bed he crawled in with her, capturing her body underneath his. His feverish lips attacked her already swollen ones. Moaning deeply, she pulled him closer, her impatient hands found their ways in underneath his shirt, desperately carving to feel his skin. His hard arousal pressing against her steered her hand to pull at his clothes, she needed more, needed to feel all of him. He seemed as eager, pulling slightly away, he started to undress her.

Much later, she rested her head against his chest, drawing small circles on his naked skin, she was fully content. Feeling his lips brushing her hair, she smiled, it felt so right.

"Scully, please tell me this isn't another few stolen nights. I can't play that game anymore"

"Neither can I, Mulder." Lifting her head she smiled into his eyes, "it seems like you will have more of me than you ever cared for"

"I want it all, never can have too much." He said before claiming her lips again.

"You will," she giggled, breaking the kiss to let air into her starving lungs. After two heavy breaths, her lungs settled and oxygen ran though her body. In a swift motion, she pulled his face closer, when it was only inches away from her lips, her attention shifted from his kiss-swollen lips to his eyes.

For a time they exchanged hearts though eyes, emotions floated wildly in the salty depths of four rivers. First the seas were clouded with pain, fear of loosing and uncertainties, but acknowledging the same in the other person, the shadows faded away and left room for the purity and honesty of two beating hearts, longing to beat in the same rhythm. They found common ground in their love for each other, a love both had savagely fought. In this moment their hearts entwined in a lifelong commitment, the road ahead would not always be easy and they would be at odds, sometimes. But neither would drift far away from the other, always bond to return.

Her eyes widened when feeling the pressure of his body against her, her body reacted instantly and opened up to him in a consuming fire. Lifting her head a few inches, she caught his lips and softly asked access to the core of his mouth, he gave it rapidly, eagerly. Their tongues easily found the dancing rhythm only they knew, wandering hands started to explore well-known and yet unknown places. The rhythm speeded up, hearts and souls mixed into a physical statement of the promise and commitment just given. It would never again be a chaste love from a distance. It would always need, demand, a physically outlet.

Hours later Scully came out from the bathroom wearing a bathrobe and a towel around her hair, her body a bit sore, but relaxed in a way she hadn't experienced before. Her eyes shone with a soft, pleased glove, she felt at ease with the world.

Finding Mulder in the kitchen her lips curled up into a full smile, he looked so cute in a wrinkled shirt only half bottomed.

"There you are" he smiled back, "I've ordered pizzas." Coming closer to her, he stopped right in front of her, "um, you smell nice. Think I will follow your good example and shower before the pizza-man is here. But on the other hand, I kinda like your smell on me, Scully." He winked seeing her blushing.

"Your t-shirts are still in the same closet." She called after him. The last time, they had been involved, had lasted long enough for him to bring some personal items over. Yet, she hadn't had the heart to give it back and he hadn't asked. Both had simply ignored, there had been more than friendship occasionally during the last two years. It had strained them, the last year, to pretend it hadn't happen at all. Strained her beyond reason, driving her to the state, where she lost sight of herself and what was good for her.

Absentmindedly, she found plates and glasses and brought them to the living-room, her mind still filled with Mulder and their lovemaking; it had been different this time, more intense and more honest. The other times urgent rush and fright had been the main feelings between them, both too afraid to loose the other to express the gentler side of their love.

This time they had showed more of themselves, shared more. Expressed more. Mulder had shown a new side of himself; one she had only seen in glimpses, when he talked about his sister and when he was frighten for her safety.

A hard knock on the door startled a grumble from her stomach; she hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"I will get it. " Mulder yelled from the bathroom. Within seconds, he searched his coat for his wallet.

"I'm capable of opening a door and pay the pizza-man" she giggled, a bit puzzled about his behaviour.

"I'm well aware of that, Scully, but you're no way dressed to open your door to a strange man." He glazed at her before he turned to answer the door.

"And you are?" Her stare slide up and down his body, taking in his appearance, he was wearing a t-shirt and a towel around his lower body. He looked tempting and more at ease with himself.

While paying for the pizzas he glanced at her over his shoulder, "maybe not, but men won't assault me for being half-naked." There was no joking in his eyes, it was the protective side of him, she witnessed. A stake of possessiveness she liked.

"Beside that, I'm not a sharing man," he said the words after closing the door, his sparkling eyes ran over her body, stopping at her face to capture her eyes, seriousness was underneath the sparkling, she understood he meant it. Strangely, the words excited her, normally she hated when a man thought her owned her. But with Mulder, it was different; it made her feel warm and happy. She couldn't deny it, didn't really want to, she was his. It was plane and simple, nothing abusive about it, it was on equal terms, they belonged together. He would never take advances of that and neither would she.

"Good, then we have that in common!" She said.

"I hope so." He wasn't smiling, "care for some pizza?" now smiling.

"Yeah"

They sat closely at the couch, hungrily digging into the pizzas and soft drinks, when the worst hunger was satisfied; Mulder leaned back taking Scully with him. Willingly, she curled into him, her head nested against his shoulder.

"Mulder?"

"Hmm"

She liked how his voice vibrated in his chest, "what should we do, you know the policy of the Fed, one of us will be transferred."

"I know Scully, I know" kissing the top of her head he stopped talking. "I don't want any of us transferred and re-assigned to a new partner. I don't think I can do that." He sighed.

"Neither can I, Mulder…But they will use any excuse to close the X-Files and get rid of you. We would hand them the victory on a silver plate…" She, too, sighed in frustration.

"Scully, is a public claim on me important for you?"

"Why? Mulder what are you saying?"

"It just a suggestion, we keep our love private, sharing no dirty details with anyone." Amusingly he glazed at her.

"You want a dirty little affair with no attachment, Mulder" She jested back.

"Like every man does, no way, Scully. All I'm saying is if we keep this private we'll be less vulnerable and we can work together. We'll just keep booking two motel-rooms and continue as usual. What do you say?"

"Two rooms?" She frowned, "I'm just getting used to sleeping next to you."

"Well, nobody says, I won't sneak into your room late at night, Scully. In a matter of fact, you'll have to lock your door to keep me out."

"I just might" she giggled, "I think it's the only acceptable plan we have; neither of us can give up now. It would make it all meaningless. "

"Locking your door you're already tired of me, Scully?" He faked hurt.

"I'll have to think about that…No. No, not yet, anyway!" She cupped his face between her hands and brought her lips to his. Soon all intension of talking vanished and passion overwhelmed them. "Nowhere near there, yet" she breathed into his mouth.

"Scully!" When she didn't react he tried again, "Scully!"