Barren Souls Part 4 of 7 Anne repeated inside her head as they walked up to the front door. Scully said to herself as Anne swung open the huge wooden door and walked into the apartment. Scully followed, stepping into a large, open room with wide wood-plank floorboards that were polished and glossy-looking. The ceilings were high and open, showing the exposed wood beams and ceiling joists, and exposed pipes ran in every direction. Huge wooden pillars were spread-out through the center of a great room-type area, and the exterior walls were exposed brick. Anne flipped on several lights, revealing a spacious kitchen off to the side, and a few other rooms toward the back. It was beautiful - old and rustic, but renovated and completely modernized. There were assorted track-lights and spotlights, which nicely accentuated the warm, earthy wood tones of the place. "...Wow..." Scully managed to say as her wide eyes swallowed the scenery. Anne smirked, "Told you it was deceiving." she said with a satisfied grin. Scully laughed a little as she walked further into the room. A huge brick fireplace was situated in one corner of the great room, with a sectional sofa and TV opposite it. The kitchen had a small bar, as well as a little bistro-type table and chairs. Scully guessed that the remainder of the place was bedrooms and a bathroom, but she wasn't going to be bold enough to go and look. The whole place was a very interesting mix of old and new... decrepit, yet modern. Anne had mostly modern furniture and fixtures, but she also had some very antique-looking cabinets, chairs, crates and shelves scattered here and there. She had unusual wall-hangings and pieces of sculpture sitting around... most of it was Egyptian or Greek/Roman in nature. It was very eclectic, to say the least, but it all tied together beautifully. "You have very... *unusual* tastes," Scully finally said with a smile. Anne laughed as she reappeared, offering a drink. "I know - suffice it to say that my 'interests' are rather wide and varied." Anne said with a smirk. Scully sipped her glass and nodded her head a little. "Yes, it is varied, but it's great - I mean, it all comes together really well." Scully said, trying not to sound too amazed. "My place is so boring compared to this!" Scully said with a laugh. Anne continued to smile. "I bet you have a story about all these things, don't you? I mean, this place just exudes *history*," Scully said emphatically, motioning to the things sitting about. Anne just laughed and shrugged. "I guess some of the things have a story or two tied to them. Most of this stuff is just junk that I've had for years, and I just keep dragging it with me from one place to the next." Anne said with a grin. "Have you moved around a lot?" Scully queried. "Mmmmmm... well... I guess I have. Bruce and I - that's my ex- husband - we moved around quite a bit before and after we got married. He was always taking a new job someplace...," Anne said, waving it off with her hand. Scully just nodded her head and took another sip from her glass. The two women looked at each other for a moment as they drank in silence. It only lasted a few seconds, but again Scully felt the burn of Anne's gaze as she stared deeply into her eyes. Scully wondered to herself as she tried hard to see past Anne's barrier. Anne's eyes were a smoky blue fog, hiding her inner thoughts well while she seemingly stripped Scully of hers. Scully felt herself growing uneasy under Anne's quick, but deadly invasion of her soul. She knew she looked nervous, and she was vaguely aware that she was fidgeting with her glass too, but she could not help herself. Scully thought to herself as she fought the urge to take a deep breath. Anne watched Dana's nervous, darting eyes, and she wondered how it was that she was so taken with her. <...I don't even like redheads...> she thought to herself, but she knew that she could not be that superficial with Dana Scully. Something about Dana truly enthralled Anne. It was more than just the fascination that someone so petite could have such a strong presence... she was intelligent, kind, and beautiful to boot. No... it was more than that, Anne thought... she was *drawn* to this woman, as she never had been with anyone before... and *that*, Anne thought, probably frightened *both* of them. "So, uhm ...," Anne said abruptly, breaking the trance between the two, "Did you want to, uhm... sit down... take off those wet shoes and let them dry a little...??" Anne said with raised brows, motioning to Dana's shoes. Scully looked at Anne, then down to her feet, then up at Anne again. Her mind raced in ten different directions and shouted ten different instructions to her. She was so unnerved and so overwhelmed by all the emotions coursing through her that she feared she would faint. So, out of necessity, she sat down on the sofa with a soft 'plop'. Anne gave her a small concerned look - the poor girl looked frightened out of her wits... , Anne thought to herself as she went to fetch some munchies. "I'll try to get this place warmed-up a little bit." Anne said as she flipped on the stereo and walked over to light the gas fireplace. Scully nervously sat on the sofa, kicking off her shoes and trying her best to be 'cool and collected'. < ...*relax*, dammit...> she scolded herself inwardly. Anne soon returned with some munchies and a bottle of wine. "I suppose we really *shouldn't* be drinking any more of this, but... oh well...," Anne said jokingly. She sat down beside Dana, crossing her feet and tucking them under her legs like a little kid. Scully could feel her eyes boring into the side of her face as she drank her wine. It made her even more uneasy... and all the glasses of wine she'd already consumed were making her feel confused. "So, Anne... how long have you lived here?" Scully asked as she tried to strike up more 'polite' conversation, attempting to keep the topic 'safe' and hopefully settle her nerves. Anne answered her, and they continued to chat about small, simple things for awhile... where they had grown up, moved to, who they had lived with... typical conversational things, but it helped both of them calm down a bit. Scully was really beginning to feel the wine now, and she wished she hadn't drunk so much. She sat her glass on the table and found Anne once again looking at her, this time with a smirk on her face. "What?" Scully asked, returning the smirk. Anne grinned wider, "I think we're *drunk*, Dana." Anne said with a laugh. "God, I hope so, 'cos if I'm *not* drunk, then something is *really* wrong with me!" Scully said with a small giggle and a lazy smile as she undid her hair, raking her fingers through it as it tumbled down. Anne laughed and put her glass down on the table, stretching her arms and legs out. "Ahhh, it feels good to get a little *smashed* once in awhile, doesn't it?" she said, rubbing her hands over her face. "Mmmm, yeah, so long as you don't completely lose your inhibitions and do something really *stupid*," Scully said, making her eyes wide. Anne leaned in toward her, "Why Agent Scully, are you saying that *you* have done some *stupid* things while under the influence of *alcohol*?!" Anne asked, feigning disbelief. Scully smiled at her, "No, not really, I usually just laugh and talk too much... say things I shouldn't say, y'know." She said with a shrug. Anne made a face at her, "Ohhhhh, a chatterbox drunk... greeeaaaatt!" she said in a funny voice as she made her eyes wide. Scully just looked at her and laughed hard, making Anne laugh as well. After they settled down, Scully looked at Anne, "You know, you are *so much* different than I expected," she said as she looked at Anne thoughtfully. Anne raised her brows. "And how did you *think* I would be? Anne asked with some surprise. "...I dunno... but not funny, and eclectic, and... charming..." Scully said quietly, looking up at Anne almost coyly. Anne's brows raised even higher, and her eyelids fluttered rapidly for a moment. She was nearly too shocked to say anything back. "Uhh... well... uhm... thank you, ... I guess," she said with a nervous laugh, picking up her glass and drinking quickly to hide her embarrassment. Scully half-smiled, looking down at her hands shyly. she thought to herself in a panic. "But, you know...," Anne began in an attempt to regain control, "You aren't at all like your 'professional' persona either," she said. Scully laughed a little, "Well I certainly *hope* not," she blurted out, making both of them laugh again. "So, we're both just a couple of fakers, huh?" Scully said when they had calmed down. Anne shook her head slowly and looked past Scully, "No, it's not that... we're just... *very* protective of our inner selves," she said as she looked back at Scully, "...right, Dana?" she asked quietly as she peered directly into Scully's soul. Scully swallowed the lump that arose in her throat and licked her suddenly dry lips as she nodded slowly. "Yes... I suppose we are." She said in a barely audible whisper. Anne smiled gently at Dana, silently telling her that she understood. Scully suddenly knew why she felt so connected to Anne -- she understood her. She may be quite different on many other levels, but she understood what Scully felt inside... Scully was certain of that. If someone would have asked her if there was *anyone* who could possibly penetrate her walls and get into her heart and soul... Scully would have said no... absolutely not... until today. Not even Mulder had gotten to her. She was always careful to keep him at arm's length... they were professional partners, after all. Some had tried to get in, but she never let them in. The funny thing was... she didn't think that Anne was even *trying*... she just seemed to... bypass all the doors and locks with a natural ease. She just waltzed right in to Scully's inner sanctum... and Scully was powerless to stop her. Scully knew she should be terrified, but she wasn't. Something told her that Anne would not hurt her... and, something told her that Anne was just as nervous as she was. Scully could sense Anne's eyes on her as she turned away to look around the room. She was watching her... questioning what she was feeling, wondering what she was thinking... Scully could feel it. Anne suddenly got up to change the music, giving Scully a breather, which she was grateful for. She gulped down some more wine as she took a turn watching Anne. Her lithe figure was hunched over awkwardly as she loaded a bunch of disks into the cd player, her graceful fingers pushing the buttons delicately. She wore no socks, only a smidgen of makeup, and a thin gold chain glimmered occasionally through the long, reckless curls that covered her neck. The whole apartment smelled like her, Scully thought, as she closed her eyes and took in the scent. She could smell a hint of cinnamon, like a candle or something... and there was also something 'fresh', like laundry detergent or cleaner... and she could smell Anne's perfume... a light, musk scent that was warm and comforting. When Scully opened her eyes, Anne was standing in front of her, looking right at her. Scully jumped a little, surprised at Anne's presence. Anne quirked one corner of her mouth in a jittery smile. Scully smiled tightly as she shifted nervously in her seat and looked at Anne expectantly. Anne sat down beside her, folding her hands on her lap. "Dana," Anne began, looking down to the floor and swallowing hard, "...remember when I said that I only ever had one passionate, intense relationship?" Anne asked calmly as she looked at Dana again. "Yes...?" Scully said almost fearfully. <...here it comes, here it comes...> she thought to herself in a panic. "well...," Anne started, taking a deep breath, "...it was with a woman..." Anne finished quietly as she stared at Dana and held her breath. Scully's brows shot skyward and her mouth opened slightly. She didn't know why she felt surprised - she had suspected it. She closed her mouth and didn't say anything for a moment, trying to act as cool as possible. Finally, she said, "I see," nodding her head slightly as she darted her eyes around the room quickly. Anne chewed on her lip a little, dropping her gaze to the floor again. "So, uhm...," Scully started, wanting to know more and daring to ask, "Are you... gay?" she asked quietly. Anne smiled and laughed nervously. "That's a good question," she said as she reclined back on the sofa. "I wouldn't say that I'm *extremely* attracted to women... but, ...I'm not attracted to men either," Anne said. Scully tried to act calm, but she was only faking - the conversation topic and Anne's close presence beside her was unnerving her completely. Alarms were going off inside her head like mad, and she actually felt sick to her stomach. Yet... she wanted to know... she wanted to continue the intense, revealing conversation... she wanted to find out how Anne felt... she wanted to find out how *she* felt herself... she HAD to know... "So... what *are* you attracted to then?" Scully asked, licking her parched lips and looking Anne straight in the eye. Anne fixed her with a deep blue, smoldering stare... she gave Scully her answer immediately with the intense, piercing look. "Actually..." Anne said, looking down at her hands, then up directly at Scully, "I think I'm attracted to you," she said quietly as she bore her cerulean eyes right into Scully's, then dropped them back down shyly. Scully's mouth opened slightly, and she tried hard to swallow the huge lump that had formed in her throat, rendering her unable to speak. She blinked her eyes rapidly a few times and her heart thudded wildly in her chest. Her face was beet-red as heat rushed up her neck and spread across her cheeks. She had no idea what to say. Anne continued to look down, cursing herself for blurting the declaration out. she yelled to herself. Anne ventured a glance up at Scully, who looked back at her with her mouth still agape, and her eyes a wide blue-green. Anne squeezed her eyes shut tightly for a moment, "I'm sorry, Dana... I - I shouldn't have said that, I... -" Anne started, shaking her head, but Scully interrupted her, "No - no, don't... don't apologize. I - I'm... that's... uhm...," Scully tried desperately to form a coherent thought, but all she could do was stutter and stammer. She sighed disgustedly and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry... I... I just don't know what to say," she said, shaking her head and quirking one side of her mouth with embarrassment. Anne put her hands up and waved them slightly, "Don't say anything - I understand... it's alright. I shouldn't have said that... I apologize," she said, placing on hand on her chest and looking sorrowfully at Scully. "N-No, uhm... actually, I don't think you *do* understand... *I* don't understand it myself...," Scully said, blinking her eyes rapidly and shaking her head a little. Anne frowned and cocked her head, looking at Dana with confused eyes. Scully smiled and rubbed her forehead with her fingers, "Uhmm... listen... can we just drop this? Okay? I - I don't think I'm quite... *ready*... to have this conversation yet... I'm sorry." she said with a tight, forced smile. Her face was tinged red with humility as she looked away from Anne. Anne's eyebrows arched skyward, but she tried to hide her surprise. "Okay... no problem." Anne said quietly, wanting not to make a big deal out of it. Anne figured that Dana wasn't sure how she felt about Anne, that's why she was confused and didn't know what to say. Either that or Anne was totally wrong about everything, and Dana wasn't attracted to her in the slightest. Anne thought to herself. She chastised herself again for letting the whole thing tumble out of her mouth so carelessly. It was obviously too much for Dana to handle. Anne hoped that she hadn't blown things completely. "Uhm... I really should be going," Scully said quietly as she rose from the sofa. Anne thought. Scully put her shoes back on and looked at Anne as she stood up too. "Thank you, Anne, for filling-in for my *blind date*... I'm quite sure that I had a *much* better time with you." Scully said, trying to grin genuinely at Anne. Anne smiled slightly at Scully. She wasn't ready for her to go... she felt like she'd ruined something between them... she wanted to 'fix' it... "Oh, well... you're quite welcome. I'm sure that I had a much better time too." Anne said quickly, stuffing her hands in her pockets and smiling briefly. The two women looked at each other awkwardly, neither knowing quite what to say. Anne's eyes were sad and full of remorse as she looked at Scully, and Scully's were jittery and closed-off. Scully didn't want the evening to end like this, but it was almost like she had no control over her emotions. She could feel herself becoming frightened and pulling away, but she was powerless to stop it. She knew that she just had to go home and be alone to get a handle on things. Finally Scully made a small face and shrugged, "Well...," she said expectantly. Anne snapped out of her daze and moved toward the door, fetching Scully's coat for her. "Thanks for showing me your place too... it's very nice," Scully said as she put her coat on. "Oh, you're welcome... any time," Anne said with a shrug as she dropped her eyes away from Scully's again. Scully looked at Anne and truly felt terrible for dashing off like this... but she *had* to... she just had to... As she was walking out the door, she turned around, "Uhm... maybe I'll... see you again?... sometime?" she said hopefully, but earnestly. Anne answered her with a small forced grin, "Sure... that'd be great." Scully smiled, and Anne smiled back cautiously. Then Scully turned and began to walk away. Anne's heart began to pound hard, wracking her chest as she watched Dana walk slowly away and out of her life. The whole evening had been wonderful, until now... now it all seemed to be in jeopardy. She felt as though this was the last she'd see of the beautiful, petite redhead. All their meetings flashed through her head... all the pent-up feelings she had began to boil up inside her... in her mind, she saw Scully's radiant smile and her beautiful sea-blue eyes... she heard her sultry voice and her quiet laughter. She began to truly panic at the thought of never seeing Dana Scully again. Suddenly, without thought, she cried out, "Dana! Wait!" making Scully stop and turn around quickly. Anne jogged out to meet her as the misty rain softly pelted them. Scully looked at Anne with concern, her brows knit in multiple confusions. Anne could only stare at her with her mouth slightly agape, "I... I just wanted to...," Anne stammered and shook her head, unable to say anything intelligent. It seemed as though Scully's eyes were searching Anne's very soul for answers. Before she could stop herself, Anne slid her hand behind Scully's neck and leaned in to press her lips against Scully's in an anxious, hesitant kiss. Scully stiffened at the sudden action, but then relaxed as she began, surprisingly, to kiss Anne back. They broke off the brief, but electrical kiss and stared at each other momentarily with wide eyes, neither one able to comprehend what had just happened. Anne removed her hand and stayed close to Scully's face as she whispered, "...Bye...," very quietly. Scully stared at Anne for a second, then reached up and quickly kissed her lips again. Anne almost smiled into Scully's mouth, but she refrained as Scully broke the kiss and whispered back to Anne, "...Bye..." Scully then turned quickly and headed off to her car, not looking back. Anne stood in the rain and watched her as she steered her car away and sped off into the blackness of the night. ********************** As Scully drove in her car, she recounted the events of the evening in her head, particularly what had just taken place a few minutes ago. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, emotions, fears, anxieties, and worries. All her thoughts ran together, cramming her head full of questions as well as answers... she asked herself frantically. Scully thought, feeling the panic rise in her chest. She wondered if Anne felt like she did. she thought for a moment, Scully thought helplessly as she rubbed her temple. She nearly had to pull her car over to get control of herself as her brain continued to teeter on the brink of overload... <*Am* I attracted to her?! What is this *feeling* that I have for her?? ...no no no no... I like *men*... I like *MEN*... don't I ?!?!> she yelled to herself. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed deeply, brushing her fingers against her lips. They still felt like they were on fire from Anne's burning, sensual kiss. <...She kissed me and *I* kissed her *back*... *I* kissed *HER*...> Scully screamed to herself internally. How could she possibly *deny* that she was attracted to this woman? She had nearly melted into a puddle when they kissed... who was she kidding!? she wearily cursed herself as she drove on, eager to get home and put her exhausted body and mind to rest. Anne closed her apartment door and leaned against it, looking up at the ceiling as she blew out a big breath of air. She had kissed Dana... and, more importantly, Dana had kissed her back. Anne felt relieved more than anything. At least now she knew that there was a possibility that Dana was interested. She licked her lips, wanting to re-taste Dana Scully's warm, virginal kiss. she thought to herself as she closed her eyes and slumped down to the floor. Anne immediately began to wonder when she would once again get to see the little redhead with whom she was so infatuated. She didn't want to seem over-anxious and call her right away. In fact, she thought it best to let Dana make the next move. Anne thought to herself, she concluded. Anne scowled to herself, she thought jokingly to herself as she got up and headed back the hallway. She undressed and crawled into bed, stretching under the warm blankets. She yawned and blinked slowly as images of Dana Scully's face flashed through her mind in slow motion. she wearily thought to herself as her eyes finally closed, succumbing to her body's overpowering need for sweet sleep. *************************************************************** The next day proved to be a difficult one for Scully. She was not focused at all and couldn't concentrate for shit. Mulder had asked her if she was okay twice now, and it wasn't even time for lunch. Of course, Scully knew what her problem was... and she wasn't about to tell Mulder. she pondered to herself. she thought as she glanced sideways at her partner, who was sitting at his desk pouring over a case file. Scully sighed for about the tenth time and pretended to return to her paperwork as she idly wondered what Anne was doing at that precise moment. She daydreamed that Anne was wondering around the hospital in a daze, similar to Scully. Scully thought to herself. she thought with an eye-roll. All morning, Scully had been trying to decide if and when she should call Anne. Would she look too eager if she called her right away? Should she wait a little bit? How long? Would Anne call her first? What would she say? Scully had no clue what to do. She was scared as hell to go forward with anything, and she was also scared to sit back on her laurels and wait... what if Anne thought she wasn't interested? *WAS* she interested? And if so, *WHAT* is it that I'm interested *IN*????? ...the endless questions that her mind kept inventing was beginning to drive her mad. Nearly all night she had lain awake admitting and acknowledging that she was indeed attracted to Anne... now she was thinking about what it was that she wanted, and what she wanted to do with her feelings. This was so different from anything she'd ever felt before. With guys, she let them do the calling... let them do the pursuing and the asking... let them make all the moves. The guy made bold advances, and she either turned them down flat or acquiesced. She wasn't a temptress or a seductress... she didn't know *how* to make advances on someone because she never *did*. She thought back to all the relationships she'd had... she never dominated any of them - the guys always 'took charge', and she usually just went along with it and did what they wanted. It wasn't that she *needed* to dominate - she just never realized that men, when in a relationship-type setting, made her feel so submissive. It seemed so out-of-character for her... she always thought of herself as being very 'strong and proud'. And when it came to sex, she never made the overtures - the guys always did. Even the few times that she just gave a guy a blowjob, *they* directed her - she never initiated. She thought back with some disgust to those times...how most of the guys she dated only seemed to want a one-night stand or some instant oral gratification in the front seat of their car, and then it was "sayonara baby". They were usually rude, and almost always insensitive. She never had a truly meaningful relationship with anyone, and she had come to believe that it was *her* problem. Scully closed her eyes and sighed deeply, cringing at the recollection of her naïve teenage and collegiate days. She had learned quickly, as always, but often times it was too late to stop the hurt that inevitably came from such experiences. The men she had been with were all basically insensitive pigs, and their primary interest was in fucking her - period. But...it was different with Anne... she wasn't aggressive like a guy... she was gentle and calm... shy and sensitive. She mesmerized Scully with one look, yet she didn't seem to even be aware of it. And, she didn't come on like a freight train... she seemed content to take her time and move slowly... it threw Scully completely off-balance. Scully surmised to herself. She wondered if Anne knew what she wanted... if she knew where she was headed... if she had any 'plan of action'... and she *still* wondered whether or not she should call her. After a few more agonizing days, Scully decided that she would call Anne. She wasn't too surprised that Anne hadn't called her - the way she had left that rainy night didn't exactly make her feelings *clear*. Finally, she decided that she had to be the one to make the next move. She got the number of the hospital, but she hesitated to call. She knew that if Anne was there, she certainly wouldn't be able to take time out for a stupid phone call; they probably wouldn't even be able to track her down. So, that left her apartment. Finding that phone number was no problem; now all Scully had to do was work up the nerve to dial... and speak. She waited until she went home - she certainly didn't need Mulder overhearing anything. She sat on her sofa, reciting in her head what she would say, then she picked up the phone and dialed. The phone rang once... twice... three times... no answer... Scully thought. Just then a faint beep sounded and Anne's voice spoke, "I'm either not here, or I'm too lazy to answer the phone... leave a message." Scully smiled as her heart began to throb and a blush crept up her cheeks. "Uhm, Anne... hi, it's, uh, Dana... Dana Scully?" she stammered nervously. "Uhm, I just... wanted to call and... say 'hello', and uhm, see if... maybe... you'd like to, uhm, get together? I mean, uh, maybe have dinner or something?," she tried her best to sound casual, but it wasn't working very well, "So, uh... give me a call, if you want - my number is 555- 7023... bye..." Scully hung up, leaning back on the sofa and expelling a deep breath. "Well... now we wait," Scully said to herself, relieved to have the uncomfortable hurdle overwith. ****************************** It was fairly late when Anne finally got home. Even though she rarely got home at an 'acceptable' hour, she was always grateful that she at least got the opportunity to *go* home. She often wondered if her superiors would allow her to keep more 'normal' hours if she weren't single or if she had a family. Then again, if she weren't single, she probably wouldn't be working in a position that demanded 150% of her time. She didn't mind it for now - she had nothing better to devote herself to, so it wasn't a big deal. Someday though, she hoped that would change. She looked at the cups and dishes and stacks of papers sitting in her kitchen... the unfolded laundry sitting in the basket on the floor... the stack of 3- month-old magazines lying on the coffee table... it seemed that she never got time to herself anymore. All she did was work, work, work... her personal life was non-existent... sometimes she felt empty and unfulfilled, but she did her best to push those feelings aside. She rubbed her tired eyes, knowing that this would be another night that she would feel compelled to stay up late, paying bills and trying to catch up on things around the apartment. She was flipping through her enormous pile of mail when she saw her message light blinking on her answering machine. she thought, She pressed the play button, ' Uhm, Anne... hi, it's, uh, Dana... Dana Scully?...' a grin began tentatively on Anne's lips as the message continued, ' Uhm, I just... wanted to call and... say 'hello', and uhm, see if... maybe... you'd like to, uh, get together sometime? I mean, uhm, maybe have dinner or something?...' the grin widened and spread across her tired face as she listened, ' So, uh... give me a call, if you want - my number is 555- 7023... bye...' Anne closed her eyes and breathed a huge sigh of relief. She quickly scribbled down the number on a piece of paper and tucked it inside her coat pocket. She stood and thought to herself for a few minutes, then picked up the phone and made a call... to her favorite 'advisor' and friend. "Hello?" a sleepy female voice said into the phone. "Hi Kate... sorry if I woke you," Anne said apologetically. "Ohh, hi Annie... long time no hear from... how are you?" the voice asked groggily. "I'm good... how are you guys?" Anne asked. "Everyone's fine. You know, just the usual crap going on... school... sports, et cetera." Kate said with a yawn. "Hey, how is Erin's sprained ankle coming along?" Anne asked. "Oh its much better. She can walk a lot better, and she's already bugging me to go back to soccer," Kate said with a laugh. Anne laughed too, "Well that's a good sign then," Anne replied. "So... what's on your mind, Annie? Hmm? You never call, unless you need something, and you *never* call late at night unless its important. What's going on?" Kate said, knowing her sister quite well. Anne smiled and closed her eyes. She never could pull a fast one over on Kate. The woman was psychic. "Nothing's going on, Kate... I'm fine," Anne said calmly, trying to deter Kate's impending questions. "Come onnnn Annie! Don't bullshit me baby sister! I can sense your tension through the phone! What gives?" Kate said insistently. "Kate! Gimme a break!" Anne said with a laugh. "It must beeee... something about work, or... somethingggg...," Kate said, trying to guess. Then she gave a sharp gasp, "Ohhhh... I bet I know..." Kate said in a hushed voice. Anne didn't say anything, she just rolled her eyes at the phone. "You've gotten involved with someone... ??" Kate said excitedly. Anne squeezed her eyes shut, cursing silently... she just did NOT understand how Kate could possibly know her so well. "Is that it Annie?!" Kate asked excitedly. Anne just sighed heavily into the phone. "That's it!!! I knew it!!" Kate laughed. "Who is it? Huh? C'mon Anne, please tell me... PLEEEEAAAASSE?!" Kate begged and whined. Anne began laughing, unable to be quiet. "C'monnnn... you must have called me to ask my opinion about *something*, Anne... it's the only reason you ever call me!" Kate said teasingly. "It is not!!" Anne replied indignantly. Kate only laughed in return. "...shithead..." Anne said with a chuckle. "Okay, okay... so tell me, Anne... who is she?" Kate asked seriously. Her older sister Kathryn was the only person who knew the truth about Anne and her 'experiences'. She had never told a soul, save Kate. And she told Kate because she knew she was the only person who would understand and support her, as she always had. Anne relied heavily on her big sister for that. "She's a... a police officer..." Anne replied shakily. "Oooooo! A big tough dyke who packs heat?? Hmm...not what I expected, dear sister," Kate cracked sarcastically. "No!! She's not really a *cop*... she's a... she's an FBI agent, actually..." Anne said in a stammer. "Ohhhhh, okayyy - a *Federal Agent*... hmmm.... Annie, honey... that's really not much better," Kate joked again. "Kate!!" Anne warned. "Oh lighten up! Jesus! Alright, so tell me about her... how'd you meet her? What's she like? Have you slept with her? Tell, tell!" Kate said, firing off the questions like a machine gun. "Christ Kate!! Would you gimme a break?!" Anne said with some annoyance. Kate merely giggled into the phone. "We met because she was investigating one of my patients, and... we've gotten to know each other a little bit, and... we kissed... once..." Anne said, truncating the gory details. "Ah-HA!" Kate spat out with a small giggle. Anne sighed into the phone, "No! No 'Ah-ha'! Nothing else has happened!" Anne said exasperatedly, making Kate laugh again. "Fuck off, Kate, okay?" Anne said disgustedly. Kate snickered again, "Oh Anne! God, you're so touchy!" Kate scolded. Anne just sighed. "...Fuck off..." she reiterated with a shake of her head. "Anne! Stop being such a moody little shit! You crank!" Kate scolded again. "Now tell me, *seriously*, what is your worry with this chicky-babe, hmm?" Kate asked as she got serious. "Oh, I don't know... the usual, I suppose," Anne said, shrugging her shoulders. "Afraid of getting your precious feelings stomped on again? Is that it?" Kate asked. "I dunno," Anne said quietly. "Annie...," Kate began, "You can't go 'round hiding inside your little shell all the time. You gotta take a *chance* little sister! You won't find the right person if you just sit around waiting... you gotta stick your neck out and have a look around!" Kate said earnestly. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Anne grumbled. "No, no - don't gimme the 'yeah yeah' shit, Anne... you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself... if Martha were meant to be the love of your life, then she'd still be here, and you'd still be together, right?" Kate said. Anne rolled her eyes. She hated it when Kate was right. "Right, Anne?" Kate said insistently. "*Yes*, Kate," Anne said exasperatedly. "Okay... I won't preach to you about Martha again... you know how I felt about her," Kate said. "Yes, Kate... I *know* Kate," Anne said with a groan. Martha was the woman she had had the 'intense' relationship with... she was the woman that she didn't wish to tell Scully about... she was the woman who had turned Anne's world upside-down. Kate didn't like Martha, and she didn't hide that fact from Anne... they had numerous arguments about the whole affair. Kate knew her sister's terrible temper, but she just couldn't stand by and watch Anne make a mistake, in her opinion. Kate didn't like the way Martha had interfered in Anne's life, and she didn't like the way she made Anne feel guilty and responsible for her. In Kate's eyes, Martha knew that Anne was 'unavailable', but she seduced her and pursued her anyway, and in her opinion, ruined Anne's life. Although it seemed to upset Anne greatly, Kate was pleased when Martha gave Anne an ultimatum in the end, eventuating in their breakup. "So...," Kate started, "What is this girl like?" she asked. Anne smiled, "She's very *nice*, Kate, and she's not a big 'butch' either," Anne said, expecting a rebuttal. "I was *kidding* about the butch thing, geez! I'm sure she's *very* nice... she must be if you've gone so far as to *kiss* her," Kate said sarcastically. "What's that supposed to mean?" Anne asked. "Well... have you even *kissed* anyone else since Martha left, Anne?" Kate asked, her voice laced with smart-ass. "No, Kate... I don't believe I have," Anne deadpanned back to her. "Well, seeeee...?" Kate said. Anne sighed heavily. "So... what's her star sign?" Kate asked. "What's her what?" Anne said, confused. "Her *star sign* - y'know, when's her birthday?" Kate explained. "Oh... christ... I don't know Kate!" Anne said. Kate was into horoscopes and star signs and celestial bodies, and all that bullshit. It totally bored Anne, but Kate swore by it. "You've kissed her, but you don't know her birthday?! Come ON!" Kate said incredulously. "I think it's February something... late February, I think?" Anne said, wracking her brain trying to remember the dates from Scully's hospital charts. "Ohhhhh, no WAYYYY!" Kate said excitedly. "What?!" Anne asked nervously. "That makes her a *Pisces*, Annie! A *PISCES*!!" Kate nearly shouted. Anne was confused, "So...? so what??" she asked. "So WHAT?! Anne - Pisces is a Cancer's *perfect match*, honey! *Perfection*!!" Kate explained emphatically. "Oh... well... that's terrific... assuming things *do* pan out," Anne said, trying to reign-in Kate's excitement. "Anne - a Cancer/Pisces union is the most *perfect* sexual union under the *stars*! Don't you *know* that!?" Kate exclaimed again, bursting into giggles. Anne sighed exasperatedly yet again, "Oh good... sex advice from Dr. Kate... *just* what I need," she deadpanned. Kate laughed more, and Anne just shook her head. "Well listen, Kate, I'd love to stay on the phone and entertain you all night, but I've gotta go, okay?" Anne said sarcastically. "Alright, alright," Kate said, ending her lightheartedness. "Listen, Annie, seriously... if you really like this girl... take a chance on her... I mean, be careful... remember the lessons you've learned... but, take a chance... it just might be well worth it... okay?" Kate said sweetly. Anne smiled, "Okay Kate... I will. Goodnight," Anne said. "Goodnight little sis," Kate said. Anne hung up the phone and sat for a moment, considering what her sister had said. She glanced around her apartment again, looking at all the things that she had been previously worrying about... suddenly, they didn't seem so important anymore. ********************************* Scully arrived home the following night after turning down Mulder's offer to get take-out and go over some files. She gave him some lame excuse about having a headache, but she knew the real reason was that she was hoping to find a message on her machine at home. When she once again didn't find a message, she felt a little let-down, as she had the last few nights. But, she was still glad that she hadn't taken Mulder up on his offer - she'd had enough of him for one day, and besides, it was Friday, and she wanted to relax. She shrugged out of her work clothes and foraged around for something to eat, managing only to find some soup and crackers. <...Gotta go to the store tomorrow...> she thought, making a mental note. She had just plopped down on the sofa when the phone rang. she thought to herself. "Hello?" she said in her usual annoyed 'what do you want, Mulder' tone. "Hi...Dana?" a feminine voice on the other end asked, making Scully sit up and take notice. "Yes...?" Scully replied, unsure of the caller's id at first, "Hi... it's Anne," the voice said. Scully immediately relaxed into broad smile. "Oh, hi!" Scully said, trying not to sound too anxious. "How are you?" Scully asked. "Good, I'm... good... busy with work, of course..." Anne stammered slightly. Scully thought she sounded exhausted. "Uhm, listen... I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but I've been getting home pretty late, and... well, you know how it goes," Anne explained. "Oh yeah, I know - no problem, don't worry about it. I just wanted to, uhm... call and see how you were doing... y'know...," Scully said, trailing off and trying her best to sound casual. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that she didn't sound like such a teenager with a crush. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two women as each one pondered what to say to the other. Finally Anne spoke, "Uhm, listen... I was thinking about your offer... going out for something to eat sometime, or something...?" she said. "Oh, yeah... that was just an idea," Scully said, suddenly back-peddling with the thought that perhaps Anne didn't *want* to get together again. "Well, the thing is... my shifts have been ending pretty late - maybe too late to go out for a decent dinner someplace...?" Anne said, interrupting Scully's panic. "Oh, well... that's alright, uhm...," Scully stammered, trying to think of something positive or a quick-fix, "...you could just, uh, come over here... to my place... if you want...," Scully spat out quickly, surprising herself as well as Anne. Anne said nothing in response, and Scully suddenly wished that she could take it back. Instead, she blurted out more, "...I mean, uhm... we could just... have some coffee or something... or I could just make us something to eat here...?" Scully added, shocking herself further. Scully couldn't see it, but Anne's eyes were wide and her mouth fell open a little. Scully squeezed her eyes shut and cringed, waiting for Anne to say the dreaded 'thanks, but no-thanks'. "...that would be great," Anne said instead, a wide grin playing on her lips. Scully smiled and let out an audible sigh of relief. "Great... so, uhm... when can I expect you?" Scully asked, sounding slightly coy. "Uhmm,... my shift is over in about an hour." Anne said. "Sounds good - let me give you directions..." Scully gave Anne the directions to her apartment and they hung up, anxious for the next hour to pass rapidly. Anne leaned back against the wall for a moment, feeling relieved and excited. <...I'm going over to her place... *shiiiiiiittt*> she thought to herself, placing a hand over her eyes in an attempt to stifle the sudden panic that washed over her. she said to herself repeatedly as she gathered herself and slowly walked out the door. She vowed to get ahold of herself and concentrate on her remaining hour of work, but instead, she found her thoughts constantly drifting to a certain crimson-haired woman... ******************************************************** end part 4