It was quiet in the car as they drove down the dark and nearly vacant highway. Mulder glanced at Scully from the corner of his eye and sighed silently, not wanting to disturb her.

The case had troubled him in his own way and knowing Scully as he did, he knew it had troubled her as well.

A car drove by on the opposite side of the road as they came around a corner and he turned his head at the sudden brightness, the lights dimming only briefly as the car continued on.

Darkness once again lay before them and the silence in the car seemed to grow louder.

"Can you pull over?" Scully asked quietly and he turned his head to look at her, frowning in concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Can you just… stop the car?" she asked, taking off her seatbelt and shaking her head.

"Yeah," he said, turning on the blinker and looking around to be sure it was clear even though they were the only car on the road.

The tires crunched over loose rocks and gravel as the car came to a stop. Scully was out and closing the door before he had put the car in park. He watched as she pulled her coat around herself, her breath coming out in large white puffs. Turning off the car, he left the headlights on and got out, closing the door softly.

She paced in front of the lights, shaking her head as she continued to breath heavily. He waited with his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the car, wondering if she was feeling sick or something else was on her mind.

Stopping suddenly, she turned to look at him and let out a deep breath. He tilted his head slightly and she shook her head.

"He waited so long," she said and he frowned again.

"Who?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Henry," she replied, shaking her head and sighing.

"Oh," he said, nodding as he thought about their case.

A woman, Kari Montgomery, had gone missing and the last place she had been seen was on a hiking trail. Strange symbols had been spray painted on the side of her car and a roughly hewn stick doll had been placed under a windshield wiper.

The local authorities suspected witchcraft, but Mulder had his doubts, as it all felt rather staged.

"Too much like a Blair Witch copycat," he had said to Scully, shaking his head as he looked at the car and traced a gloved finger over the spray paint. "I think it's bored teens thinking they're being funny."

Instead of focusing on the fantastic, they had walked into the woods to speak to a man who lived along the trail.

Henry Statler, a rather reclusive man, had not taken kindly to their arrival, answering the door with a shotgun in hand, his expression wary.

When the reason for their visit had been explained, he had pitched forward whispering Kari's name. Falling against the doorframe, Mulder had caught the shotgun in his hands before it hit the ground and Scully had reached out to help Henry.

Henry had known Kari all his life, even dating near the end of high school, though it had been incredibly brief. A fight over something stupid had left them angry and vowing to never speak again. She had left a few weeks later for college and he had stayed in town working odd jobs.

When she had finished with her education, she moved back home with plans to teach at the elementary school she had attended in her youth.

At a bar one night, she had run into Henry and attempted to speak to him. But it had turned into a shouting match, as Henry had been drunk and any chance of a reconciliation between them had been severed.

Henry had moved into the cabin in the woods and was rarely seen again, thus creating an air of mystery and fear around him. Children would dare one another to knock on his door, screaming as they ran away, their friends laughing behind them.

Knowing he lived out there, Kari avoided coming too close to his property when she hiked along the trails on the weekends.

"I've seen her out here," Henry had told them as they sat at his cluttered dining room table, his hands shaking as he drank a glass of water. "I fish in the river that's back aways. I see her come there sometimes and sit by the water."

"Do you ever speak to her?" Scully had asked and he had shaken his head, his eyes falling to the table.

"No," he had whispered. "But I've wanted to every time I've seen her. I've wanted to tell her how sorry I am. To tell her…" He had shaken his head again and exhaled loudly.

"That you love her," Mulder had supplied and Henry had nodded as Scully looked at Mulder in surprise.

"Since I was seven years old. She followed me around the playground even when I asked her to leave me alone," Henry had said, laughing and then stopping short. "You can't tell me what to do, Henry Statler. That's what she said to me. That day and many times after."

Mulder had smiled at him and then caught Scully's eye before she had looked away and back at Henry.

"What can I do?" Henry had asked, wiping his eyes and standing to his feet. "How can I help?"

For three days, a search party had combed the woods.

Henry had been there every day, staying out late into the night, forgoing sleep and even food. He had not given up, and on the fourth morning, he had been the one to find her.

There had been no witchcraft. Nothing sinister even.

Kari had been walking and she slipped down a hill, sustaining many injuries including a broken ankle, a broken rib, numerous cuts and bruises, and a mild concussion. As she had attempted to get her bearings, she came across a dilapidated old house. Knowing she could not stay there, but walking closer to get out of the rain that had begun to fall, she had stumbled and fallen through the rotted wood of a spring cellar and down the five steps, knocking her unconscious.

Exhausted and injured further, she had faded in and out, unable to call out for help. Henry had found her, given her water and dressed her wounds as well as he could, leaving to call for help and returning to stay with her until it had arrived.

He had sat outside of her hospital room, waiting until she had woken and asked for him, the worry he had been carrying, falling away as he had stood to his feet.

"They knew each other for so long, Mulder," Scully said, as he remembered the smile on Henry's face when Kari had reached for his hand. "They had so many opportunities to fix what was wrong and they never took it. Not until it was almost too late."

"People are stubborn that way," he said and she sighed, her breath a cloud of vapor.

"I know they are," she said, holding his gaze. "I know I am."

"Stubborn? You?" he teased, but she did not smile, and he shook his head with a sigh. "What's on your mind, Scully?"

"It's a constant."

"What is?"

"Us. This… thing between us."

"Thing?" he asked, his pulse jumping.

"This thing that reaches a point, but then never goes further," she whispered, her eyes shining with tears in the moonlight. "Right to the line, but never crossing it."

"Scully…"

"Words said, but so many others left unsaid. Important ones that stay in our heads, but aren't articulated. Not… not the way they should have been. Especially when they've had to be known. To have been heard..." She continued to stare at him and then he realized what she was not saying.

"No," he whispered, shaking his head as he remembered lying nearly comatose in a hospital bed, his brain burning, when he had finally heard the one voice he had longed to hear.

"No?"

"I never…" He sighed and then licked his lips. "I heard so many words, conversations buzzing around me like insects. I heard those who addressed me, explaining themselves as they sought for me to understand their reasons for their behavior. I heard their lies, their deceit, their pain. Heard the words not spoken aloud."

"And from me?" she asked, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over. "What did you hear from me?"

"The truth. Always the truth."

"Which means what?" she whispered.

"Words buzzed and pained me," he said again. "Until I heard your voice." Her tears slipped out and fell down her cheeks as she drew in a ragged breath.

"You heard me? You heard-"

"I heard you speaking to the doctors and then speaking to me. Out loud. Not in my head."

"Not my thoughts?"

"No."

"Why?" she whispered, wiping her cheeks. "Why theirs and not mine?"

"Because," he said, taking a step closer to her. "In the torrent of their thoughts and the lies that I didn't want to hear, the words you spoke were my saving grace. A shelter given in which to rest and calm my mind."

She stared at him, her breathing becoming faster. He smiled as he reached for her hand.

"You didn't… didn't hear me?"

"I heard you," he whispered, squeezing her hand gently. "Heard you."

"Mulder…" she breathed, stepping closer as she kept her eyes on him.

"I heard the truth in your words. The worry and the concern you voiced. I didn't need to hear your thoughts when your truth was loud and clear," he said, shaking his head. "Was there something that you wanted me to hear, Scully?" She exhaled a laugh as she wiped at her eyes.

"No," she said. "Yes…?"

"Hmm," he hummed, his thumb stroking the top of her hand.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head and letting out a deep breath. "I didn't want you to hear it as a thought in my head. But… time is passing by and I've said nothing. I'm such a coward."

"Hmm," he hummed again as he closed his eyes and bent forward to rest his forehead against hers. "I don't agree with that statement."

"But I have been. I know I have. And being here the last few days, I saw myself in Henry's reluctance and I… I want that to change."

"I'm all for change," he whispered, pulling back slightly so he could press his lips to her forehead, kissing her softly.

She gripped the lapels of his coat in her hands, the vapor of her breath passing over him.

"I love you," she whispered and he froze, his eyes opening. Pulling back again, he stared at her.

She was breathing hard, her mouth opening and closing a few times, though no words came out. He brought his hands up to cup her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks softly.

"I love you," she whispered again and he smiled.

"God. I love you too," he replied and she nodded as she laughed and cried.

Bending his head, he held her face as he kissed her. She moved her hands from his coat to hold his forearms, their kisses slow.

A car drove past and she pulled back, still holding onto him. She smiled and he kissed her once more before stepping back and searching her face. She nodded and he grinned.

Moving apart, they got back into the car and he started the engine. She reached for his hand when they pulled back onto the highway and he took it, bringing it to his lips and kissing her knuckles. She hummed and dipped her head, smiling shyly. He grinned and kissed her hand again as they drove to the motel.

xxxxxxxx

He woke to the sound of muffled shouting and he jumped out of bed, peeking through the curtain to be sure everything was okay. Seeing a group of teenagers skateboarding in the parking lot, he let out a sigh of relief as he closed the curtain and turned away from the window.

Glancing toward the bed, he walked to the television and turned it on, hoping the low volume would cover the noise outside. With a look to the bed again, he nodded and went to use the bathroom.

Closing the door quietly behind him when he was finished, he stopped in front of the television and watched as a fox jumped and spun through a hill of purplish pink flowers.

"The young fox runs through a field of wildflowers," the narrator of the documentary stated. "Perhaps he has been spooked by another animal, or perhaps he has seen a vixen and he is showing off to gain her attention."

"Or perhaps…" Mulder whispered with a smile. "Perhaps said vixen has indicated that she loves him for the very first time and he can't help but react in such a manner."

"Hmm," came a low hum from the bed and Mulder turned his head to watch Scully as she shifted in her sleep.

"Yeah," he continued in a whisper. "I'm certain his vixen has expressed her love and he's the happiest he's ever been in his life."

"Hmmm… Mmmulder?" Scully breathed, as she ran her hand over the spot he had recently vacated and he walked to stand beside the bed.

"I'm here," he whispered and she opened her eyes. Frowning in the brightness, she quickly closed them again.

"Mmm… why is the television on?" she said with a small groan and he smiled.

"There was noise outside, some boys skateboarding, so I thought I'd-"

"Add to it?" she asked, shifting again and the sound of her legs moving beneath the covers made his pulse race. "Turn it off and come back to bed." A shout of triumph was heard outside and she smiled, opening her eyes briefly to look at him. "Hear that? They agree with me."

"Yeah, I heard," he said with a chuckle as he stepped back and turned off the television.

The room was dark once again and the noise of the skateboarders now seemed louder than before.

"That won't bother you?" he asked as he joined her in bed, her bare legs entwining with his as she moved closer to him, her arm wrapping around his waist.

"Would you ask them to stop if it did?"

"If you wanted me to, I would," he said, running a finger down her spine, causing her to shiver.

"In your current state of dress?" she teased as she ran her fingernails across his bare back in retaliation and he chuckled.

"Well, I'd put something on," he assured her.

"If that's the case, then no, the sound doesn't bother me at all," she said, kissing his neck and pulling him closer, her naked breasts pressing into his chest. "It took us far too long to reach this point. If it means you'd leave this bed again, I can handle a little bit of adolescent noise."

"Hmm," he hummed in agreement as he closed his eyes and traced circles up and down her back, causing her to moan softly.

"Mulder," she whispered as she kissed his neck again.

"Dude! That was bitchin'!" a voice yelled outside as another cheer went up and Scully chuckled.

"I love you," she said, snuggling even closer as she yawned.

"I love you too," he said, breathing in her scent before he also yawned.

Hearing her breathing slow as she fell asleep, naked in his arms, he smiled as he kissed the top of her head.

He chuckled quietly as he recalled the scene of the young fox gallivanting through a sea of flowers. His actions could have been completely random, but considering his own overwhelming happiness at the moment, Mulder was not convinced.

Feeling a sense of connection to his namesake, Mulder was certain that somewhere out of camera shot, a sleek haired vixen sat watching the fox's antics, completely aware of the reason he was unable to contain his outright joy.

And she was smiling.