Chapter 18: Crazy about you
Mulder is messing up the whole house - No, it's not in here, either - She is losing patience, standing in front of him, beside her desk with her hands in the back pockets of her pants, closes her eyes and sighs trying to stay calm
- Mulder, what I don't understand is how this guy knew about your secret rendezvous signal - She says looking at each of his movements, the room is a mess, all his videos stacked in small mounds, notebooks scattered everywhere, not to mention that they match the walls' papers.
He keeps his quest searching everywhere - Who cares about any of that, Scully? I can't find "The Lost Martian" When he said that that episode of The Twilight Zone didn't exist, that's when I knew he was a crazy person. It's a classic. So I came home, and I checked my box DVD set, and it wasn't on there. I checked all my episode guidebooks. No mention of it. I searched online. Nothing. So now I'm going through my tapes because I'm sure I recorded it at some point - She listens to him speechless, what the hell is he talking about? Why is an old tv show even important? This is so typical of Mulder.
She tries not to roll her eyes and try to understand - Well, maybe it's one of those other shows, like Outer Limits or … -
- Confuse The Twilight Zone with The Outer Limits? - he interrupts, stopping his task and staring at her - Do you even know me?! - he yells at her with impatience
She sighs changing her weight from one foot to the other - Can we talk about this over dinner, please? - She says closing her eyes in frustration
He looks at her with disappointment - I'm not gonna be able to eat until I find this. Ever again -
- It can't be that good of an episode - She realizes that he will let her have dinner alone once again and sighs with resignation, the first time he did it, she wanted to die of rage, but after the third time, she realized that it would be something that she would have to face many times.
She looks at him and realizes that his expression has changed, he prepares to give his speech - It.. It's...it's not about the episode, Scully. It's about my memory of seeing my first Twilight Zone. It changed me. You don't forget that. I was eight years old. My parents let me stay up till midnight because that was back in the day when it only aired, you know, late at night on some local channel… - She sees that he gets lost in her memory and she takes the opportunity to leave, the last two times she has left without him noticing, she picks up her things and leaves the house - I remember it all so clearly, as if it just happened - He returns from his memory and realizes that Scully is no longer in front of him.
He looks around confused and remembers that the last time, she also went away because of him, he runs to the door and sees that she is getting into the car, he shouts her name and runs to her side, she gets out of the car, but leaves the door open holding it with your hand - Hold it Scully, please don't leave, I'm sorry - he says reaching her side.
She looks at him with regret and denies with a bitter smile - It's not the first time Mulder, I think I'm getting used to it, these things are common to you - she says and tries to get on the car again, but he takes her hand and looks at her with a guilty face, she frowns and close the door giving him a chance.
He smiles brightly and takes her in his arms to hug her tenderly, then he pulls back a little and kisses her softly in the lips. - Thank you Scully, I promise you I won't do it again - She smiles raising her eyebrows, he nods understanding that is maybe a big fat lie - Okay, not so often - She laughs and rests her head on his chest - I promise that I will try my best, I don't want to miss a minute of your time with me - She raises her face and looks at him with tenderness, he gives her a peck in the lips, and takes her hand walking back towards the house.
He opens the paper bag she had brought and realizes what it is, chicken fingers and vegetable wraps, plus a small passion fruit dessert - What's all this Scully? I prepared something more - she smiles sitting at the table,he remains stand putting the food in the table - I know, but I knew you probably hadn't eaten anything all day, so, I decided to bring something... small? - she says with a chuckle
- Small? This is too much, I can't eat as much as I used to, old age prevents me - She laughs and he smiles while bringing a couple of dishes to the table, she take one and puts a wrap and a finger in it, he goes to the kitchen and brings a container, there is vegetarian rice with chicken and bacon, she looks at him, amazed and pleased - It looks great right? - he asks, raising his eyebrows twice, in that flirtatious way he usually uses.
She smiles and nods - And it smells good, well done Mulder - she says while he serves her a little on the plate, then he goes to the refrigerator, takes out the jug of juice and brings two glasses, then pours a little in both, she drinks a little and savors it licking her lips - Strawberries and banana, great combination - he smiles again and puts the jar in the kitchen counter getting back to sit on the table next to her.
Both eat quietly exchanging some looks, sharing a few bites or cleaning the other's lips with coquetry, suddenly she feels a sharp pain in her forehead and frowns taking a hand to her temple and closing her eyes, he looks at her worriedly and stands up quickly crouching down beside her - What is it honey? Are you alright? - she nods and breath out - Are the visions again? Did you see something? - she denies opening her eyes and looking at him.
He frowns with concern, if they are not visions, what happens then, she reads his question in his eyes and puts her hand on his cheek - Mulder, I'm fine, It was just a stinging headache, but I'm fine now, don't worry okay? - he caresses the hand on his cheek and then kiss it, she smiles a little with a sigh, he sits down again without letting go of her hand, she squeezes it to make sure she's okay, but he's not convinced - Mulder! -
- We can't be sure Scully, stay here tonight, please, I can't let you go now - she tries to refute but the way he look at her doesn't allow her. She sighs in frustration and nods - Good,now finish your dinner while I clean up the messy bedroom - she chuckles, it is a fact that the bedroom must be a mess, just like the rest of the house. She finishes eating and washes the dishes of both, keeping the leftovers in the refrigerator, he comes down again and looks at her, she smiles and he stays calm, maybe it was just a headache, but he will not let her go.
She walks towards him and he takes her by the hand guiding her to the second floor, the sheets are clean, which indicates that he has just changed them, one of her pajamas is on the bed and she smiles looking at him in the eyes - you're a cheat, the only thing you want is that I stay to sleep with you - he smirks and leans down kissing her forehead - Thank you Mulder - she says looking at him tenderly
- I wanna be sure you're okay, go change, if you want take a shower, the bathroom in clean - she laughs and stands on the tips of her fingers to kiss him, he smiles in her lips taking her by the neck and intensifying the kiss, then let her go change while he goes downstairs to turn off the lights and lock the doors.
When he returns he sees that she comes out of the bathroom in her silk pajamas, she half smiles and gets under the sheets, he opens his drawers and takes out a pair of sleeping pants and a t-shirt, then goes to the bathroom and takes a quick shower. When he returns, she is between asleep and awake, but turns to look at him when he gets under the sheets behind her - What do you think will happen to William? - she says looking at him out of the corner of her eye, he gets closer to her, perfectly demarcating her small body with his, he thinks for a moment kissing her cheek
- I don't know Scully, it's been 17 years, we don't know if the threat of the virus will actually come true, we have no clue about anyone's whereabouts, as you said, we just have to do our job and wait - she sighs and nods closing her eyes, both want answers, but the truth always flees from them, it is as if they took two steps forward and three steps back.
She needs to know more about her visions, she needs to see her son, she knows they will meet again, otherwise all this connection won't have any sense - How do you think our lives would be if we had left the x files a long time ago, if it were only us, do you think we would have a normal life? - she asks in a whisper, he suddenly has deja vu to their conversation in the motel a couple of weeks ago, she's been doing a lot of questions about them, about their future, Can they really dream of a future and a normal life after all they have seen and experienced? can they return to live together as before, but this time without worries? he doesn't know what to answer, he wishes things had been different for both, he always dreamt about a normal life next to her.
- I have always imagined us together, calm and happy, maybe things are never normal between us, but we are partially happy, at least I have been by your side Scully - she smiles, she has been happy by his side, regardless of his eccentricities or obsessions, she has been happy, he has been the only person who has really understood her, even in silence, that is something that no one else can ever achieve.
- I have also been happy Mulder, no matter what - he kisses her cheek softly and closes his eyes, they can be happy again, both feel it, this is a new beginning, a new chance, and they can't let it go.