Another Monday rolled around and Mulder made his way to Scott's office with a smile on his face. He was nervous about whatever Rosie had in store for him next, but his small getaway with Scully overshadowed everything else. Scott greeted him with a smug smile, causing Mulder's face to dim slightly.
"I spoke with Dana this morning, we had a nice chat." Scott knew that he was instigating, but he couldn't resist.
"Did she, uh - what did she say?" He forgot about the whole 'provide proof' part of his tasks, mentally scolding himself for not thinking of how he was going to prove this one without her direct involvement.
"She just confirmed that you definitely completed the most recent card. You know, you could have told me you were interested in her from the beginning."
"I - I didn't know I was, yet." It was a blatant lie, they both knew it.
"Well anyway, I have your next card. I don't think Rosie counted on you to make it this far, so this next one is definitely a leap."
Mulder gulped, taking the card cautiously, as if it was a bomb ready to go off. Scott flashed him another smug grin, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He made his way back to his car, already terrified what this task was. He opened the envelope and stared at the number 7 in the familiar handwriting. He took a deep breath and turned it over.
'If you've made it this far, tell her you love her. This task is only completed if she says it back, so make sure you really mean it.'
His eyes went wide, Scott was right, this was definitely a leap. He barely kissed her for the first time a few days ago. He exhaled deeply, at least there's no expiration dates on these, he may never get there. Rosie was always one for the dramatics. Mix that with her hopeless romanticism, and he never stood a chance against these tasks. He knew Scully would ask, but he didn't want to scare her away so soon.
Their morning briefing was rather short, mostly because they were on double time to catch the kid who was doing these horrific acts. If Mulder's theory proved correct, he was done, so his trail would die. They needed to catch him now before it was too late.
"Did we get anything back from the samples you took at the crime scene?" He asked casually. He noticed a shadow of a frown pass over her face, almost as if she was disappointed. He mentally chastised himself, releasing a heavy sigh. He didn't mean to push her away, it's just what he did.
"Uh, nothing specific. The fiber we found on two of the other victims wasn't present here, but I'm still waiting on the blood droplet analysis. We never had any other blood at the other crime scenes though, so we don't have anything to compare it to." She explained professionally, slipping so far into her Dr. Scully persona, he could feel the chill.
"Okay, let me know if that turns anything up. I'm going to lock myself away for a bit and look through interviews and crime scene photos. There's more of a connection, I just need to find it without any distractions."
That did it, her eyebrow rose to new lengths. It was bad enough that he was acting as if they hadn't taken a step in their...whatever this was, but was he actually insinuating that she was distracting him from his work? She was stubborn, and instantly closed herself off to him based on the unknown miscommunication. She wasn't expecting any public displays of affection, especially at work, but a smile would have satisfied her. Her doubt was beginning to cloud everything else she felt for him, and they were getting so far off course.
"Sure. I'll let you know if I find anything. I won't bother you otherwise, wouldn't want to distract you more."
"No, Scully, I didn't mean-"
"It's fine. I'll see you later, Mulder." A tight-lipped smile told him that whatever just happened was completely his fault. He already knew an apology was in his future. He took the defeat and made his way to the basement to wallow in his own self guilt.
After about an hour of the silence driving him insane, he found himself automatically pulled to the morgue. He peeped inside, seeing her huff and puff over her current autopsy. He definitely knew this was his fault, replaying everything that happened throughout the day in his head.
"Hey, mind if I bug you for a while?"
"I'm very busy, Mulder. Did you need help with anything pertaining to the case?"
"Uh, sure...I was hoping this autopsy would show anything particular that can help me get in this guy's head." He lied, partially. He was still having trouble with the profile, and it was aggravating him on a whole new level.
"He was aggressive, and it was personal, but that much we already knew. Other than that I don't have any lab reports back yet." She said nonchalantly, he could practically feel the chill.
"Scully, I'm sorry if-"
"Mulder, I just can't do this right now."
"Okay...later then?" She paused, scalpel still in her hand. She was being stubborn, that much she could admit, at least mentally to herself. Something was off about him, it finally occurring to her that it was Monday. He would have received the next card by now, and that thought made her even more worried.
"Sure. What did you have in mind?"
"I wasn't totally sure you'd agree, so I didn't think that far ahead." He smiled sheepishly at her, causing her lips to curl up slightly.
"Well you could come over, I can cook."
"Are there hidden culinary talents I haven't had the pleasure to discover yet?" He grinned charmingly as he stepped towards her. Her breath caught in her throat, never expecting him to be so forward at work. The mood had definitely shifted between them suddenly, and it was exhilarating her.
"Perhaps. Why don't you stop by around 7?" It was said in almost a breathy whisper as he stood just before her. She could practically feel his breath on her, subtly inhaling his scent. Their kiss was the only thing she's been able to think about all weekend. She was hopeful for more.
"Sounds perfect. See you then, Scully." He leaned in until their lips were lingering before each other, his mouth curling up in a smug grin before turning to leave. She huffed, letting out the breath she didn't realize she was holding in.
The rest of the day dragged, both of them anticipating tonight. He was worried about the new card, knowing she would ask about it. There was no explanation other than the truth, and he couldn't think of any excuses. His nerves got the best of him as he approached her door, suddenly wanting to run in the opposite direction. He took a deep breath, half wishing he took a few shots of something before making his way over here. When had he ever been this nervous around a woman before? When has a woman ever mattered this much?
He knocked, taking at least some kind of step towards actually attending this evening. When she opened the door, she flashed him that winning smile that made him melt in all the right places.
"Hey, come on in." She moved back, inviting him in. He nodded, stepping in to her apartment awkwardly, causing her to blush at his unease. "Would you like to take off your jacket? Stay a while..." Her tongue clicked as her eyebrow arched. She was amused by his nervousness.
"Sure." He finally relaxed enough to let his shoulders slump as he shrugged off his jacket. She led him into the kitchen, offering him a drink while she finished her dinner preparations.
"Everything is just about done." She said distractedly. Whatever she was making was heavenly to his senses.
"Not that I'm picky, considering I eat whatever is in my fridge at the time of hunger, but what do I have the pleasure of indulging in tonight?"
"Lasagna. It's my mother's recipe, so I'm hoping it all turned out okay."
"Scully, if tastes half as good as it smells, I will leave an even more satisfied man." She paused, biting back the smirk growing on her face. Hopefully her cooking wouldn't be the only thing satisfying him tonight.
They settled at the table, engaging in casual conversations, both loving the simplicity between them. It was killing her to not know about the next card, knowing it had to be pretty big if it made him react this way. She couldn't take it anymore.
"So, when are you going to tell me what's on the next card?" He choked as he took a drink of water. She was forward, and he didn't want to lie to her. He could see the honesty and genuine interest in her eyes.
"I - uh, it's complicated."
"That's what you said about the last one, and it turned out alright. At least, I thought so."
"No, I mean yes, it did." He stammered out. The last thing he needed was her doubting him again.
"So...?" She was playfully persistent, and it was adorable to him.
He took a deep breath, pulling the card out of his pocket. He placed it face down on the table, sliding it towards her. Honesty, that was his game here. She was in this just as much as he was. Her brow furrowed, puzzled by his mysteriousness. She picked up the card, curiosity rising. When she flipped it over, her eyes widened and she stopped breathing for a moment. He could see the emotions passing over her face, worried about the one she settled on. She licked her lips nervously, placing the card down as if she was conserving its fragility.
"That's an, um, interesting task." Her voice wavered, not knowing how she felt about it. She knew how she was slowly feeling about him, but until their kiss, doubted his feelings about her.
"It is, and I'm not taking it lightly." He wanted to assure her that if...when he said it, he would mean it. She avoided his eyes, this was a big step for both of them. "I'm also not rushing this one. I fully intend to woo you first." She looked up, smiling at the playful gleam in his eye.
"Do you know how to woo, Mulder?" She challenged, relaxing into the ease beginning to surround them.
"It's been a while, but I might still have a few tricks up my sleeves." He leered at her, causing color to tinge her cheeks. He loved having the ability to do that to her.
"Well I'm looking forward to the pursuit then." Eyebrow raised, she was challenging him. He would prove every ounce of his love to her, that would be his new personal mission.
Before either of them could say another word, Mulder's phone began to ring, disrupting their small moment. He sighed and gave her an apologetic smile before hearing the sound of hers ringing, too. They both gave each other a look, knowing this could only mean one thing.
"Mulder."
"Dr. Scully."
They both listened to their individual conversations, Mulder glancing towards Scully to silently ask if she was getting the same information as him. She nodded, answering his unspoken question. It was so easy for them, this wordless communication that they've adapted over their short time working together.
"They think they caught him." He said as he disconnected the call.
"Yeah, they said they followed a lead from your profile. Mulder, I thought you were having trouble with it?"
"I was. I also needed an excuse to see you." He gave her that adorable grin that made her want to kiss him again. "After we talked, it all came flowing to me. I can't explain it."
"Well, it looks like it worked out all around. Come on, g-man, we've gotta go to work." She said before disappearing into her room. When she emerged a few minutes later, she was in her usual pantsuit, looking as professional as ever. He smiled, knowing she wouldn't be able to go into work in her casual jeans and sweater. He loved both sides of her.
When they made it to Hoover building, they kept their distance, even though they arrived together. Settling themselves in the conference room, maintaining a professional demeanor despite their shared evening was rather difficult. He kept stealing side glances towards her, causing her to have to bite back the smirk forming from her knowing what he was doing. This is why they had rules against dating coworkers, she mused.
"I'm sure you've all heard, we think we caught the guy, but he's not talking. We're still wrapping some things up, and a special thanks to Agent Mulder for the profile that led us straight to him. Thanks to the rest of the team for the amazing work. As of right now, we've got him, so everyone's dismissed. We'll let you know if we need anything else." The Special Agent in Charge was practically mumbling his words, glad this was over.
Mulder disappeared down the hall before Scully could catch him, making her wonder what was running through his mind. She could instantly tell that something was off, but couldn't decipher what it was. She finally found him standing by where they were holding the suspect, a distant look in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" She asked in a hushed voice, coming to stand next to him.
"That's not him. It's not the right guy." His voice was completely void of emotion, a million things running through his mind.
"You're sure?" She didn't even question how he knew, it was just the way his mind worked. He wordlessly nodded, confirming her question.
"He's still out there, but this guy does know something."
"So what do we do now?"
"I doubt I can convince them that this is the wrong guy, I don't know." He sighed heavily. "I'll, uh, catch you later."
"Wait, where are you going? I know you're going to do something, I can see it in your eyes." She said in challenge, eyebrow raised. He both loved and hated that she could read him so easily.
"The less you know, the better. I'm just going to look into something, off a hunch. I'll call you." He said as he turned on his heels and left, leaving no opportunity for her questions. She huffed out an exhausted breath, this man drove her absolutely insane. She just hoped that he wasn't off to do something incredibly stupid.
Enough time had passed until the late evening approached, and her worry began to set in. Something was telling her to call him, but she didn't want to seem too anxious. Her nervousness won out.
"Mulder." He said in a low, breathy voice. If she wasn't so worried about him, it would have lit a fire in her.
"Where the hell are you? It's been hours since you left the bureau."
"I just followed a hunch. I'm, uh, surveilling one of the people that the suspect gave as his alibi. He fits the profile, and I really think this guy could be him."
"Mulder, you went in without backup? Tell me where you are."
"No, Scully, don't worry about it. I'm not doing anything other than sitting in my car, eating my weight in sunflower seeds, and listening to really bad music."
"If you don't tell me where you are, I'm going to have to find you by myself. You could just make this easier for both of us." He smiled at her persistence, knowing he wasn't going to get rid of her that easily. Not that he ever wanted to.
He finally conceded, giving his location. She arrived with snacks in tow, this being her first real stakeout.
"Any luck?" She asked as she slid into the passenger seat.
"Other than a few teens sneaking out, and back in, some people walking their dog, and I think Mr. Gonzalez is getting very close to the nanny, if you know what I mean."
"Well, I'd say your investigative skills are really getting their work in here."
"I know this seems like a waste of time, but I really think this is the kid, Scully." He said with a heavy sigh.
"I don't doubt that's what you believe, Mulder." She reached for his hand, grasping onto it in a comforting gesture. He glanced down at their hands, smiling. He quickly sobered, remembering that before this chaos, they were somewhat on a date.
"So, as far as dates go, how would you rate this one?"
"Is this a date?" She asked, eyebrow arching, lips pursing.
"Well, I like to think that it was along those lines before we got called into work."
"And here I thought you were just using me for my hidden culinary skills."
"That, too. Don't mistake my intentions here." He teased. She paused, replaying the words in her head. What exactly were his intentions, given the new task.
"Is this part of the wooing?"
"It's not what I had in mind, but I am a little rusty. How am I doing?" She chuckled, shaking her head at him.
There was a loud noise that broke them from their moment, causing them both to jump out of the car. They ran towards the small park nearby, following the sound.
"Scully, go back to the car. This is too dangerous."
"Like hell. May I remind you that you're the one out here, without backup, tracking down a potentially dangerous suspect!"
"You're not armed, I don't want you getting hurt."
"I can handle myself just fine, Mulder."
Before she could say another word, they heard a muffled, high pitched scream come from somewhere in the small forest behind the park. They crept up to the source stealthily, hearing a grunting sound and the small sobs emitting from behind the trees. They looked at each other, exchanging a plan with their eyes.
"FBI, freeze!" He aimed the gun towards where he could see a shadow, the exact person he was tracking staring back at him with wide eyes, a feral look in shining through.
He began to run, while Scully attended to the newest victim. He was going over the edge, attacking people just because he needed the feeling again. Mulder was right, they needed to catch him right away. She was muttering reassuring sentiments to the girl, giving her her own jacket to keep her modesty. She could hear Mulder yelling, not wanting to pull the trigger, but catch him safely. He was still chasing him through the dark trees, the suspect having an advantage since this was his territory. She escorted the girl back to the car, retrieving her phone to call for backup. Before she could finish dialing, she heard Mulder's voice approaching nearer.
"Scully! Watch out!" And with that, everything went black for her.
Mulder's heart sank at the sight of her head being bashed into the car window, shattering the glass and leaving her bleeding from her skull as she crumpled to the ground. The young girl in the backseat screamed and began to sob uncontrollably, witnessing the sight before her. His anger got the best of him as he picked up speed and rammed into the suspect, pinning him between his own body and the car. He threw him on the hood, wanting to beat the life out of him for what he potentially just did to Scully. He slapped the cuffs on him, throwing him to the ground before calling 911 himself.
He could hear the sirens coming from a distance, dropping to his knees to cradle Scully's head in his lap. She was still breathing, consciousness coming in and out.
"Scully, I need you to stay with me. I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have been out here. I'm so sorry." He began to say repeatedly, the guilt settling in nicely. He stroked her hair gently, willing her to be okay.
When the ambulance arrived, he wanted to go with her, but knew he had to finish his mess up here. He briefed the officers and agents that showed up, giving as minimal information as he could before bolting out of there himself.
Slowly pushing the door open to her room, he could feel the new wave of guilt washing over him as he saw her laying in that hospital bed. He knew this was his fault, and she was too loyal to let him go off on another lead alone. He settled himself in the chair beside her bed, grasping onto her limp hand.
"God, I never wanted you to get hurt. You shouldn't have been there, and this is all my fault." He took a deep breath, knowing this was a safe place for him to talk, considering she was down for the count. "The doctors said they don't know if the damage affected your memory in any way. They won't be able to determine that until you wake up. If you don't remember me, I think I'll be most disappointed that I never got to finish this current task. I - I do love you, Scully. I know everything moved quickly with us, but it feels right to say. Please wake up, so I have the chance to prove that to you."
He bit back his own emotions, feeling foolish for talking to her as if she could hear him. He's seen it done in enough movies, maybe there was something to it. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it with the softest of grazes.
Scully roused sometime the next day with a killer headache. Everything around her was fuzzy and disoriented, not remembering much of what happened the day before. She groaned as she brought her hand to her head, wincing at the sudden movement.
"Honey, how are you feeling?" Her mother's voice filled her ears, making her even more confused.
"My head is killing me." Her voice was hoarse, it being the first time she's spoken in a day.
"Do you remember what happened?" Maggie asked cautiously, knowing what the doctor had said about the possibility of her memory being wiped.
Scully wracked her brain, recalling everything that occurred yesterday. Her eyes went wide, the biggest question popping into her head immediately.
"Mulder." She said in a hushed whisper. Her mother smiled, knowing that must be the man who was professing his love for her daughter the night before. He didn't know she had returned to the room, listening in when she shouldn't have.
"He stopped by last night, and sometime this morning. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him, but I've seen him around." Maggie reassured with a gleam in her eye. Scully rolled her own eyes, wincing at the pain of the movement.
The rest of the morning went by in a haze, Scully wanting to see Mulder, find out what happened. It was killing her, but she was appeasing her mother by resting and not worrying about work. Mulder popped his head in sometime around lunch, stopping in his tracks upon seeing her mother in the very spot he spilled his heart the night before.
"Come on in." Maggie motioned with a warm smile as she saw him. He was out of Scully's eye range, so she was puzzled by who her mother was talking to.
"I didn't mean to interrupt, I was just stopping by to see how you were doing." He said with a sheepish smile. Scully's eyes lit up at the sight of him, not going unnoticed by her mother. They smiled at each other coyly, before he glanced between her and Maggie. She caught onto the silent question again, nodding in understanding.
"Mom, this is Fox Mulder. Can you give us a minute?" She asked, licking her lips nervously. Maggie introduced herself, Mulder taking her hand in acquaintance. When she left the room, he stood at the end of her bed with his hands in his pocket, suddenly nervous to talk to her.
"Scully, I'm sorry." He blurted without thinking. He had said it multiple times during her state of unconsciousness, but never when she was awake to hear him mean it.
"Mulder, this wasn't your fault."
"You should have never been out there. If I wasn't so selfish and stupid, you wouldn't have had to follow me."
"Hey, I chose to be there with you. None of this was anything you could have prevented. They never did tell me what happened, after everything went a little hazy for me." She smiled at him, trying to ease the mood. She knew he felt guilty, she could see it all over his face.
"I got the guy, the girl was saved, pretty basic operation." He shrugged, knowing that full credit was going to his hunch and their teamwork. He never was one for positive reinforcement.
"Well then I'd say it was pretty successful, minor injuries and all."
"Scully, you could have been seriously hurt. I'm just so sorry, I never meant for this to happen to you."
"Mulder, I'm fine. I'm gonna have a pretty nasty scar for a little, but that'll heal." She said with a softness that he couldn't refuse. She reached out for his hand, him grabbing onto it in an instant. He was still hesitant, about their growing relationship, but she made it that much easier to let himself fall even more in love with her.
"What, uh, do you remember?" He asked cautiously.
She was hopped up on numerous drugs, but she still was having flashes of him being there the night before, after she was brought into the hospital. She thought she dreamt it, her mother only confirming his presence. If she allowed herself to believe everything she thought was a memory, she could still hear him tell her that he loved her.
"Not much. After he came up from behind me, it's a little fuzzy. I keep having flashes of moments, but can't seem to string anything together." She wanted him to say it again, hoping he would if she didn't remember now.
"Good, I'm sure it'll all come back to you eventually." He said with a tight-lipped smile. She wanted to roll her eyes at him, this was going to be more difficult than she thought. "I should get back to work, I have some reports to finish, and things to clean up on this case. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. I'll call you later."
She frowned slightly as he walked out the door, hoping for more to happen between them. She wanted him to make the move, and take that step, wanting reassurance of how he feels.
Throughout the duration of the next few days, he had only called, never stopping by. She knew the guilt was crippling him, she could hear it in his voice every time they talked. Her mother helped her back to her apartment, getting her settled.
"I could stay, Dana. I just don't want you to be alone, they said it could be a few days before you're fully back on your feet." Maggie said, exasperated with her stubborn daughter.
"I'll be fine, mom. I already told you. I'm just going to be resting until I'm cleared for work again." She said with a heavy sigh. They both knew that was a bold-faced lie, considering how jittery she's been by Mulder's lack of presence.
As soon as her mother left, she showered and changed, relieved to be out of the hospital and back in the comfort of her own clothes. She felt refreshed, and more awake than ever. It took about an hour of her trying to sort through her feelings before hopping in a cab, and making her way to his apartment.
"Scully?" He asked puzzled to see her standing there. He moved to the side to allow her entrance, her still not saying anything. "You should be in the hospital, or or resting."
She ignored him, taking in her surroundings of his apartment. He kept talking, all of it not processing in her mind. Finally, she turned, capturing his lips with hers. He froze, it taking only a few seconds before he realized what was happening. She wrapped her arms around his neck, him melding them together by pulling her into him by her waist. Their first kiss was the only thing either of them had thought about since it happened, wanting desperately to repeat it. He finally reluctantly separated from her, staring at her with a confused expression.
"I really hope it doesn't take another near death experience for you to tell me you love me again." She said in a breathy whisper, composing herself from their kiss. His hands involuntarily tightened on her hips in response, eyes widening slightly.
She smiled at his nervousness, giving him another chaste kiss before leaving him standing there in a complete daze. The smirk growing on her lips as she left his apartment would show how satisfied she was with herself.
When he finally managed to snap out of moment of bliss, he turned just as she was exiting the door, stopping her.
"Wait, Scully...what-" He stammered out, gently grabbing her elbow to stop her movements. She bit her lip hoping to suppress her amused grin.
"I'm still looking forward to the wooing, Mulder."