I should have seen it coming.
The minute I laid eyes on her I should have seen it coming.
I should have taken note of the almost evil glitter in her eyes.
That phrase runs through my mind; haunts my dreams as I come to understand the many layers of meaning she was implying.
As I sit here remembering how he stood up for her after the decontamination showers, warning me to back down, but he should have known it was futile. She made me mad. She was doing it on purpose.
I had wondered at what had occurred between them so many years ago and I racked my brain for someone I could possibly ask. There was always Mulder, but it was too risky. He'd put up his defenses and ask too many questions that I'm not sure I'm prepared to answer. I'm not sure I even KNOW the answers.
The phone rings and wakes me from my reverie.
"Hello?"
"Agent Scully?"
"Yes?"
"This is Agent Spender."
"Yes?"
"I'm calling about Agent Fowley." He paused, as if expecting me to say something. When it was clear I would not, he continued. "What do you know about her relationship with Agent Mulder?"
"Agent Spender, another Agent's private life is absolutely none of your business."
"When another agent's private life interferes with investigations, being head of the X-files division, I tend to become curious."
"Agent Spender, I can assure you that I know nothing of this relationship."
"Are you saying that there is NO relationship between Agent Fowley and Agent Mulder?"
"To the best of my knowledge, no."
"Thank you, Agent Scully."
* Click *
Spender definitely didn't know anything. I'm gonna have to do this myself.
* * *
THE NEXT WEEK
Mulder came in to work today HAPPY!! He was even WHISTLING!!
"Mulder?"
"Hmm?"
"What's going on?? You've been so .... I don't know.... are you drunk?"
Mulder grinned, shaking his head. "You promise not to tell??"
"Mulder, don't you trust me??"
I had just been kidding, but a cloud of seriousness came over his face.
"Scully, I've found someone else to trust." I was afraid my mouth had made some sort of sound as it hit the floor. "Scully, you wouldn't believe it! She's so wonderful!"
"Mul- Mul- Mulder??"
He stopped his schpeil. "What?"
"Who?" I managed out, this time, without stuttering.
"You'll never believe it. Diana is so- Oh I just can't explain it...."
"Diana.... Fow-......Fowley??" I couldn't help but stutter.
"Scully, you'd never believe! She's just amazing! Last night she went out with the Lone Gunmen and then she came over to my apartment and-"
"Ahem. Good morning, Fox" A voice came from behind me. It sent shudders down my spine. The owner snaked her way past me and made her way to Mulder.
"Morning, kitten." He pulled her into an embrace.
I excused myself as she stuck her tongue down his throat. It had disturbed me that they had gone out to dinner with-
THE LONE GUNMEN!!!
I quickly moved to the elevator, went to my car and drove myself to their offices.
* * *
THE LONE GUNMEN OFFICE
"Who is it?" A male voice answered.
"Scully!" I yelled back.
"Just a minute!" I heard several clicks go one at a time then Byers answered the door. "Good day, Agent Scully. What brings you here??"
"I need to talk to you about Mulder."
"What's wrong? Is he hurt?" A note of alarm took his voice.
"Nothing, everything-well, almost everything, is perfectly fine. But I'm worried. It's Di-"
Byers nodded, knowingly. "I've been expecting this."
"They knew each other before, right?"
"Yes. He was completely infatuated with her, and when she left to Berlin, it just about killed him."
"How are things between them now?"
"They're just about like they were before."
"Does she love him?" I blurted.
Byers blushed. "Scully, I don't know how to answer that. It's not my place to determine that."
By this point I was just about on the verge of tears. "Is she leading him on?"
"My opinion, personally, or professionally??"
"Personal?"
"Yes."
Just then Diana and Mulder breezed through the door.
"Scully!! What are you doing here!" Mulder asked, surprised.
"Um.... I ... Uh......"
Byers quickly intervened. "Scully needed to check on the ... uh...."
"I had to give back a pen I borrowed!" I rummaged through my purse for a second, then pulled out one that said "U.S. NAVY". I handed it to Byers.
It was then I noticed a glint on Diana's left ring finger. It was a diamond engagement ring. Choking back invisible tears, I muttered something about leaving to Byers and pushed my way past Mulder.
I barely made it to my car before the dam I had built against my tears quickly exploded. I cried for a minute or so before I heard a tapping on the passenger side window. Brushing back tears, I unlocked the door to let Mulder in.
"Scully-"
"There's no reason to explain. You love her and now you're engaged. It happens all the time, everyday."
"I'm glad you understand." He looked down at his hands, Then, seemingly with a burst of thought, he moved his hand over mine. "The wedding is a month from tomorrow. Will you come?"
* * *
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Scully, are you still planning on coming?"
"To what?"
"The wedding. Are you still planning on coming?"
"Mulder, I wanted to talk to you about that. You see, the thing is, Something came up and-"
"Scully!!! You're my best friend!!! How could you make plans on the most important day of my life??"
I didn't tell him the truth. One of the few times I have actually lied to him. But I was afraid it wouldn't hold up. I was afraid the light shone right through my eyes.
"Mulder," I said, looking away quickly. " I can't."
"Scully-"
"No Mulder!" The tears I had been saving until I got home were threatening to spill. I ran out of the bullpen and to my car and by the time I had arrived home, I was a complete mess. My hair was disheveled and mascara was running down my cheeks. I fumbled with the keys getting into my apartment, threw all my stuff on the floor, and unplugged my phone. I wanted to be alone tonight. I curled up in my bed and had yet another good cry.
That one single phrase has damned my relationship with him. With My Mulder.
* * *
When I woke up the next morning, I plugged the phone in and checked my messages. My eyes widened as I listened to the computer voice.
"You have 8 new messages."
"First message, sent Thursday, 4:31 PM:
"Scully, call me when you get home. I'm worried."
"Next message, sent Thursday, 4:52 P.M.:
"Scully, Pick up, Please??"
"Next message, sent Thursday, 5:15 P.M.:
*click*
Next message, sent Thursday, 5:47 P.M.:
*click*
"Next message, sent Thursday, 6:29 P.M.:
"Scully, I'm sorry. I just didn't realize. I'm sorry Scully. I didn't know. Please, pick up??"
"Next message, sent Thursday, 7:02 P.M.:
"Scully, I'm coming over. Please let me in?"
Not able to surpress a feeling, I put down my phone and went to the door, swinging it open. There, just as I suspected, was Mulder crouched in my hallway, his head in his hands.
"Mulder?" I asked softly, not wanting to wake him. I knelt down next to him. He was snoring softly.
Taking a moment to watch him, I ruffled his hair.
There is something very sexy about watching a person sleep. Listening to him snore in rhythm with your own breathing is absolutely astounding.
I guess he felt my gaze because his eyes opened slowly. "Scully." His thumb brushed my cheek. A single tear ran down my face.
Then, the elevator door dinged, opened and a FURIOUS Diana Fowley stormed through. "Fox, I got your note-" She halted as she saw the two of us huddled in the hallway. "Fox?" A lost look overcame her face. Her voice quivered as she spoke. "Is there something I should know?"
Mulder stood quickly. "Diana. It's not what it looks like. I swear." He pulled her into a strong embrace. She began to sob. "Fox, I'm ..... so sorry.... I love you." I went back into my apartment, trying not to slam the door. I looked out my peephole and saw the two of them still locked together. He was alternating between kissing the top of her forehead and murmuring into her hair. Then, abruptly, they stopped. He pulled out an item from his pocket and placed it back on her finger. It was the ring.
* * *
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Agent Scully, you seem out of it today." Kersh declared, impatiently.
"Sir, I need to go home."
"You're dismissed, Agent."
I drove to Saint Thomas' Church, where I knew the wedding would be held. I ran up the front stairs and burst through the doors.
The foyer had a high ceiling with a gorgeous chandelier, but today I did not come here to look at the beautiful chapel.
I saw a set of circular steps that seemed to wind endlessly. I began the long journey up.
* * *
SEVEN AND A HALF MINUTES LATER
Huffing and puffing, I finally made it to the top. As I opened a huge wooden door, I looked inside and saw a small room with a wall to wall glass window. I looked through the window and saw a wedding in progress. I had a bird's eye view, and all I could see was a dark haired man holding hands with a brown haired woman. Next to the window, I saw a little black knob. Turning it to the right, I began to hear a man talking.
".... To have and to hold for all eternity?"
"I do." Said a male's voice... but it wasn't just any male.
The Priest went on. "And do you, Diana Maria Fowley, take this man, Fox William Mulder...."
"NOOOOOOOOO!" The almost primal cry escaped my throat. The entire congregation, including the bride and groom, swiveled their heads around the enclosed room. I bolted out the door and, practically falling down the stairs, reached the bottom in almost record time, one minute flat. Although I'm not sure why, I opened the door to the chapel. While everyone was still staring at the balcony, only Mulder's eyes met mine. We shared a wordless conversation with our eyes as we had many times before, but this time much more meaningful. A lone tear ran down my face as I shut the chapel door and ran out of the foyer.
I suppose I made a bit of a sight running down S street, mascara running down my face. I didn't get very far when I heard a voice, Mulder's voice, calling me. "Scully, Scully?!?!?!?"
At that moment, all I wanted to be was close to him- to his voice. It pulled me like a tractor beam towards him.
I stopped running when I felt a pair of familiar strong arms enveloped me.
"Mulder-" I whispered into his biceps. "I-"
"Say it." More of an order than a question.
"I love you."
"Scully, I love-" It was then his mouth covered mine, a senseless battle of tongues trying to obtain the same goal.
"Not here Mulder." I say trying to push him away, wanting him, but not here, where a crowd had gathered around us. Suddenly, the crowd parted.
"FOX WILLIAM MULDER!" A shrill voice exclaimed from the top of the steps.
Taking my had securely, together as ever, we faced the worst evil a partnership could ever endure. Diana Fowley. She stood there, hands on hips in her white brides gown, turning 25 shades of deep crimson.
"Diana, I'd like you to meet the true love of my life, Dana Katherine." I could see that Mulder angered her by those little words.
"SCULLY??" She spat the word out. When he nodded his head, she started coming towards us. "You TRAMP! You planned this all from the beginning, didn't you?" Mulder's grasp tightened on mine, but to no avail. My hand fell from his as she pushed me to the cement. "You're his little whore, aren't you?? SLUT!!!"
"Diana, that's enough." He grabbed her wrists violently and pulled her away from me.
"FOX! Get off!" She wailed.
"Scully, handcuffs, please." I got up, brushed myself off, and pulled out my FBI issued handcuffs. Handing them to Mulder, I recited her rights.
* * *
TWO HOURS LATER
I opened my eyes and felt an arm slung around my shoulders. I moved my head and saw it's owner. Mulder, still in his tux, was asleep, his arm around me. I almost snuggled up closer, enjoying the warmth, but, my eyes just now registering where we were, it would be inappropriate. I was in Washington Police Station.
"Agents Mulder and Scully?" called the desk clerk.
"Mulder! Come on, they're calling us!" He reluctantly stood, ran fingers through his hair, and stretched. Putting a hand at the small of my back, we walked towards a large black man who was beckoning us into his cramped office.
"You are here to report on Ms. Fowley's arrest. Agent Mulder, please explain."
Mulder took a deep breath before he began. "Today was Agent Fowley's wedding day. I left her at the altar because Agent Scully showed up at the chapel. Agent Fowley came out of the church and pushed Agent Scully to the ground. I arrested Ms. Fowley for assault of an FBI agent."
The officer took down every word that Mulder said. "Agent Scully, was this how it happened?"
I nodded. "Yessir."
"Then I'll thank you both and ya'll can be on your way."
Mulder and I both stood and shook hands with Officer LeBon before leaving. On our way out, Mulder asked me:
"Scully, where do we go from here?"
"Mulder..... I have no idea."
"Why don't we discuss this at my apartment after dinner??"
"Mulder, I don't know.... you just broke up with Diana. I don't wanna be the rebound girl."
Mulder stopped suddenly on the outside steps of the police station. "Scully- Dana, you'd never be the rebound girl. I love you. I have since the beginning, and I promised myself that if you DID show up at the church, then I'd marry you. I knew Diana wasn't right for me." He took my face in his hands forcing me to look up at him. "You are. I love you, Dana Scully." His face drew closer to mine and an inexplicable tension flared. We both wanted this, and we both knew it.
His mouth on mine, twisting, turning, spinning - so dizzy. And then we went to his car, hand in hand, and drove to his place together-
Forever.
******************************************
Liked it? Hated it? Want me to burn in the depths of hell?? Don't surpress those feelings, do something about it!!! Send your thoughts to fanficcychic@hotmail.com OR lil_angel_sara@hotmail.com !
Don't bottle them up inside or you'll get doused by LOTS of rain!!!