'THE BEST THINGS'
By: Skinfull

Dana Scully pushed the heavy gym door open and stepped cautiously inside. It wasn't a room she frequented often, preferring to exercise on her own and she was almost surprised to see the room was littered with various agents exercising in different ways but she still spotted him immediately. The t-shirt he wore was soaked and clung to his body, the cuff of it jumping up from the top of his shorts. He was running laps around the makeshift basketball court bouncing the ball rhythmically in front of his feet as he went.

Every time he came near the hoop he sprinted over and tried for a shot. The noise level was all but deafening as the numerous stereos blasted out different music, and the metal weights clanked together from the agents exercising. Although he seemed unaware of the noise as he ran with his Walkman, as if he was the only one in the room.

He spotted her when he turned the opposite corner of the room and smiled in her direction. She stood just inside the doors by the stands. Her arms were folded across her chest and her skirt and blouse made her stand out, amongst the other casually dressed, agents. He noticed some of the men watching her and smiled to himself, wondering if she knew the power she possessed. Slowing down he walked over to her and pulled the earphones out letting them fall to his chest as he stood before her, the ball still bouncing.

"Hey Mulder."

"What's up?"

"New case. Skinner wants us to start immediately."

"What is it?"

"Come down and see."

"Do you wanna go one-on-one before we go?" he said shuffling around her, bouncing the ball just out of her reach.

"And embarrass you in front of all your friends?" she said snatching the ball away from him.

"Dinner says you couldn't make the shot from there."

The smile she gave was soft and sweet and he frowned as she pushed him behind her, out of her way. He stood there whistling and waving his arms around her body, not touching her, but she ignored him. She stared at the hoop and wished she'd been in front of it instead of at this 45 angle. Mulder was standing closer to her now so she jerked her elbow back and connected with his ribs. The groan he let out satisfied her and she concentrated. Holding up the ball, she lined the shot and bent slightly at her knees. Jumping up, she released the ball with a flick of her wrist. Mulder stepped up beside her and watched the ball arch towards the rim. It bounced off it and hit the backboard before falling down through the hoop. She pulled down the front of her blouse and turned to him smiling, reveling in the look of shock on his face.

"You owe me dinner." She walked away without another word leaving him to collect the basketball and shower in bewilderment.

The smile wouldn't leave her lips as she stood against his desk, with her back to the door, the file open but unread in her hands. It was all she could do not to jump up and scream when she saw the ball falling through the hoop, but she knew the subtle approach would have more of an affect on him, so she just smiled as if she had no doubt it would go in. Shaking her head in an effort to rid herself of the laughter that bubbled beneath her surface, she looked down at the file and began to read. Skinner had seemed insistent when he was dropping it by earlier and she wasn't sure why he was pushing for herself and Mulder to take it.

"Gallery Theft is a Federal Offence Agent Scully," he had said.

"Yes sir, but there are numerous agents capable of handling this case."

"I have it on good authority that yourself and Agent Mulder are the only qualified agents for this case."

Without elaborating he left, so she followed Mulder down to the gym to get started. Reading it now she couldn't seem to find anything unusual. Just then she heard a ball bouncing towards the office from the hallway and again she found a smile tugging on her lips. He came into the room and dropped his sports bag next to her feet and the ball onto his desk. Sitting down heavily he looked up to her and caught the hidden smile.

"So what have we got?" His hair was damp and ruffled and she silently urged him to brush it off his face. The deodorant he wore was tickling her senses deliciously as she tried to read from the file.

"Theft from the International Gallery.or rather attempted robbery."

"Here in Washington?" he took the file she offered and began to skim through it.

"Yes, it's down by Lafayette Park."

"I know where the gallery is. Why us?"

"I'm not sure. Skinner was insistent," she came away from the desk and took a chair across from him.

"A Van Gogh was disturbed. But nothing taken," he read from the file.

"It's the same M.O. as a theft from the Guggenheim in New York last month. Two works of art were stolen on separate nights. No prints, no alarms triggered, no point of entry could be devised." They both exchanged glances as an image of Eugene Tooms flashed between them, but Scully broke the contact and took the file from him.

"So he'll be back to the gallery to try again."

"We should go down and check it out."

The gallery was bustling with lunchtime viewers. They were met by the curator who proceeded to give them a full tour of the building including a commentary on the art and it's price. Finally they reached a small room that had been cordoned off from public viewing. Scully noticed his reluctance to enter the room.

"This is where the Van Gogh had been disturbed," he said through a choked voice. "It's on loan to us from the Louvre in Paris, it would have been a travesty had it been taken."

Two large windows that almost reached from floor to ceiling adorned the back walls, showering the room in a magnificent sunlight. Yellow police tape marked off the picture and the dusty remains from the finger print kits was spread around the room.

"These windows were locked?"

"Yes both of them. But the first one," he said pointing to the one nearest Mulder, "was found unlocked, but closed."

Mulder tore away the police tape and pulled the window up leaning out over the ledge.

"A hell of a climb," he said looking at the street below.

"The cops checked for prints and crane tracks on the street but found nothing," Scully said reading the police report from the file.

"I wonder if the hotel has external security cameras," he mused.

Scully walked over to him and saw him pointing to the Marriott Hotel across the street. "The car park too," he added. "Mr. Wilson, this painting is obviously a target. He'll be back for it. I want this room opened for the public again and-,"

"But it's from the Louvre?" he argued as if it were enough.

"He will be back, he could be in the gallery right now." Wilson's face showed his discomfort at the thought of loosing the painting.

"Mr. Wilson," Scully began her voice soft and calming. "We'll set this place ready to trap him. He won't get away." He seemed to take some refuge at her words and his shoulders visibly relaxed. "Is there a room we could use as a control center?"

"Yes, we have a storage room over here, by the roof access."

Scully looked over at Mulder and he saw the small nod before she followed Wilson out of the room. He reached for his mobile and called the headquarters for a surveillance team.

***

Scully stretched her arm up high to shield her eyes from the unrelenting sun. The heat was stifling made no easier by the insulated FBI windbreaker she wore. Standing on the roof of the two-story gallery she looked longingly at the people sunbathing in Lafayette Park and eating in a near by pub's beer garden. Hearing footsteps behind her she turned to see Mulder walking towards her. His tie had been loosened and his top button opened. He carried a small brown paper bag and was smiling.

"Hey Scully see anything?"

"Only normal people enjoying this beautiful Friday evening."

"Oh Scully, you'd be bored within a week." He sat on the roofs ledge and patted the area beside him. Sitting next to him she rested back on her hands letting the sun caress her face. The rustling of the paper bag made her look over to Mulder and she saw him pulling out a sandwich and a bottle of water. He held them out to her and she took them, letting the cool bottle dampen her forehead before unwrapping the sandwich.

"I hope you don't think this counts as the dinner you owe me."

"Let's just call it an appetizer." She smiled at him and bit into the salad sandwich. The city seemed so quiet from up here and with neither of them wanting to disturb it; they ate in silence.

The evening passed without incidence and the bright sunshine finally gave way to a cool twilight. Mulder found it harder and harder to reign in his frustration. The heat had cooled considerably and Scully found herself wrapping up tighter in the windbreaker she'd earlier cursed. She watched him pacing the length of the building and listened to his ramblings as he revised the profile aloud.

"It's all about a challenge Scully, the art is merely a bonus."

She didn't reply knowing he would answer his own questions without her help. It was a trap she often fell into. The argument he instigated to reassure himself that his profile was right. She tried before to reassess it with him but he always argued his doubts away. Watching him now his footsteps small, his stride slow, she knew he was nearing the end of his indecision and action would soon follow.

"He's not coming." He stopped suddenly in his tracks. "He knows we're here. We need to get this place cleared out and get a bit more stealth into the operation."

"Isn't that a bit like locking the door after the horse has bolted?" Mulder gave her a strange look and started towards the door.

"We need to regroup and set up again."

They entered the control room and Mulder quickly scanned the television screens that had been set up for the cameras. When he saw nothing he turned to Agent Whyte who had been operating the system.

"I want the team recalled and set up for night watch. I'll need two people in the control room and two on each side of the building. With us scattered around like this he'd be-,"

"We have a visual on the north face of the building repeat a visual on the north face."

Scully glanced at Mulder who couldn't hide his surprise. He grabbed the active radio and called for the agent to confirm the sighting.

"Yes Agent Mulder, he's leaning out a window on the second floor on the north face. Third window from the edge of the building"

"That's the room next to the Van Gogh." Scully started to leave with the other Agents when the radio crackled to life again.

"He's heading for the roof…the fire escape…oh My God."

The exclamation stopped her in her tracks and she turned to see Mulder running for the roof door. She followed quickly and caught him as he bounded out the door, slamming it into the wall as he ran.

"What? What's going on?" she heard him shouting into the radio as he ran.

"It…it looks like he's walking on the wall."

They exchanged a quick glance before slowing their run. Mulder pulled out his gun, motioning for Scully to circle closer to the wall to cover the other end of the building. He listened for the creaking sound of the moving fire escape but heard nothing. Cautiously he stepped up to the roofs edge and leaned out over the metal frame. Scully stood behind him, her gun held rigidly by her side.

"You see him?" she asked.

"No."

But before he could step away from the edge a hand reached out from behind the fire escape, pulling Mulder forward and off the roof.

"Mulder," Scully yelled as she ran over. He hung from the frame, his gun dropped below. A small man stood by his hands, smiling up at her.

"Freeze, put your hands on your head and interlock your fingers." The stranger did as she said, stepping back and standing heavily on Mulder's fingers. Mulder yelled in agony, reached up and squeezed the stranger's ankle. Scully pulled out her radio, but before she could call for back up two agents ran up to them. One of them jumped down and pushed the suspect up to the other where he was cuffed and led away. He bent down and reached to grab Mulder's forearms.

"Hang on Mulder," he urged. Distant sirens could be heard and she hoped they would arrive in time. A small crowd had gathered below and Scully watched as the FBI cleared them away, throwing cardboard boxes into a pile in case he fell.

"I'm slipping." Mulder yelled in shock as his hands started to loose their grip.

Agent Watters who was struggling to keep hold of him, his face red and strained, shouted for Scully to grab some rope or something but as he yelled at her, he lost his grip. Mulder's hands slipped out of his reach and they watched in horror as he fell as if in slow motion to the ground below. Scully called out his name and thrust her hand forward as if she could catch him. She saw him landing and winced at the awkward angle of his left arm.

Jumping up, she raced through the building to the street below, followed closely by Agent Watters. She dropped to her knees by his head and quickly checked for a pulse. It was weak but she was just happy to feel the soft throb in his neck. She draped her windbreaker over his body to keep him warm. Rubbing his hair, she noted with surprise that her hand came away bloodied. As she checked more carefully she saw a deep cut that ran just over his ear to the back of his head, bleeding slowly. Thinking quickly and silently, thanking god that she'd worn her bullet-proof vest she pulled off her blouse and bunched it up pressing it firmly against his head.

A cold threatening wind curled around her shoulders but she didn't even seem to be aware of it, or of the other agents that formed a protective circle around them as she whispered for Mulder to hold on.

***

The waiting room was cold. She sat on a chair, her head resting heavily in her hands. A nurse had given her some medial clothes to change into when she'd arrived in the back of the ambulance with Mulder, but they offered little heat and no comfort as she spotted her own bloodied blouse on the next chair. Watching the clock above the door she saw it move slowly and monotonously through two cycles. Her cries of medical qualifications went unanswered as they pushed her towards the waiting room and now two hours later she sat alone, a cold cup of coffee in front of her, and she waited. It was then that Skinner arrived, his steps slow and small as he walked towards her. He sat on the low table in front of her and waited for her to look up from the floor.

"Agent Scully." he urged. "How is he?"

"No news yet, he's still out of consciousness and has lost a lot of blood. He sustained a massive trauma to the left side of his head, which could induce a coma. There's no telling how it will end up."

"Have you spoken to the doctors?"

"Briefly. It's been a little over two hours since I spoke to anyone."

Skinner stood up and walked over towards the window. Looking out at the city below, he couldn't help but notice the silence that rang around the room shouting out her despair. Knowing he was about to add to it, he took a deep breath and slowly turned to face her. Her hands had slipped into her hair, her fingers meshing with the thick red locks.

"Agent Scully…The suspect. He's escaped." She whipped her head around and fixed him with a glare.

"Escaped? How?"

"He was being transported to the holding facility and the van was held up at gunpoint. He escaped and Agent Burns was shot, wounded shoulder, not fatal.

"It could have been fatal. They didn't want to kill him," she said almost to herself.

"Yes, that's what Agent Watters said. He's taken lead of the case. It seems this guy has a gang who knew he'd been captured. Like he lured us into a trap."

"We have prints though."

"Yes and visual footage. We'll catch him."

The door opened slowly and a young nurse stepped in. She glanced between the both of them and seemed unsure whether to interrupt but Scully spotted her and stood up. Without another word to Skinner she followed the nurse out of the room.

"He's still unconscious but the doctor said to call you when he got back from the ICU." The nurse opened another door and led her into Mulder's room. "It looks pretty gruesome but he's had a terrible fall." the nurse began to explain but her words faltered when she spotted Scully's eyes. She left silently and Scully stepped closer to his bed.

The first thing she noticed was the hospital gown. He always complained that they made him itch. His head lolled to the side exposing a thick white bandage that lined the side of his head. Strapping on his left shoulder was keeping it from moving and it was wrapped against his chest. As she sat next to him she could see a small stain of dried blood that ran down his neck. Grabbing a small tissue and soaking it in the bathroom she gently dabbed it and washed it away.

"It's getting to be where I can't take you anywhere, Mulder," she quipped almost expecting him to turn towards her with a crooked smile playing on his lips.

She pulled a chair closer to the bed and took his hand. Looking into his face she found it to be totally relaxed and void of any strain. She thought of how rarely she'd seen him so. Even when he slept she knew of the nightmares that tormented him and his face always displayed his distress.

She remembered one time when they traveled back from a case. For once she had been driving and it wasn't long before he'd fallen asleep beside her. As she pulled up outside his apartment she looked over at him and caught him wincing as if in pain. She reached over to wake him and he mumbled softly.

"Leave her alone, leave her alone."

Squeezing his shoulder, he jerked awake his eyes darting around wildly but he finally relaxed when he saw her.

"Bad dream?" she asked willing him to talk but he just smiled weakly, collected his coat from the back seat and left.

Looking at him now, his features unmoving, his eyes still and his breathing even she held tighter on to his hand. The soft metallic sound of the artificial breathing brought little relief as she sat back into the chair. A nurse had implored her to go home as midnight approached but it was closer to two am before she left.

Her apartment was cold as she entered and her large bed seemed too far so she lay on the couch intending only to rest. When she woke at seven am she showered quickly and hurried to the hospital, determined to see him before her meeting with Agent Watters and AD Skinner. She found Mulder in the same position, his vitals unchanged. The nurses watched her silently giving her hopeful smiles and assuring winks as they passed her. But all too quickly the time came when she had to leave.

Ignoring the glances as she walked through the FBI halls, staring straight ahead but seeing nothing she managed to make it to their basement office. Stopping abruptly as she opened the door she was met by a strong aroma of his deodorant and aftershave remembering how he'd sprayed some after his exercising yesterday she took a deep breath. His basketball lay in his in tray and his jacket was hung over the back of his chair. She lifted a folder from the desk. A small post it told her that Agent Watters had left it for her to sign. Reading through it she relived the moment of Mulder's fall and the image replayed so clearly in her mind that she quickly dropped the report, letting it fall to the floor. Without picking it up she left the room, rushing up to start the meeting in Skinners office.

***

He woke up slowly. The darkness was silent and unending, pierced by a blinding flash of white light. The pain creased through his head sharply but slowly began to recede. The light flashed quicker and quicker until finally the pain became bearable and he held his eyes open. As the sound suddenly swirled around him, the soft hiss of the ventilation system broke through and caused him to turn his head, bringing with it it's own throb of pain. A small attempt to sit up pushed him heavily back to his pillow. His head ached and it was then that he noticed his left arm was tied to his body, wrapped around his chest. Struggling to move it he winced as his shoulder flared up as painful heat rushed down his arm. His throat felt hot and dry and he tried to cough to clear it.

"Hello." he croaked. The curtain that had been pulled around his bed blocked his view of the door. "Hello." He called again this time louder. He heard footsteps and felt relief at the sight of the shadow that turned towards him.

"You're awake!" a nurse exclaimed, her smile wide and warm as she stood next to him. "That's wonderful." He fidgeted on his bed but she stilled him firmly. "No don't try to move, Dr. Macey will be here shortly. How do you feel?"

"Sore…heavy, a bit…confused."

"Well that's to be expected."

"What happened?" he asked as she took his temperature and blood pressure.

"You hit the ground pretty hard. Luckily it was only two floors or you might have been killed." Her words made no sense to him and he frowned, the ache in his head arching to a higher pitch.

"I fell off a building?"

"Yes, the museum. Yesterday. Gave us all quite a scare. Don't you remember?"

"No, I don't. I don't remember anything," his face was full of the anguish he was feeling and the nurse froze. She slowly turned to face him her pen hovering over the clipboard.

"Anything?" she asked.

"No…nothing."

"Your name?"

As if the thought just occurred to him he frowned and paused in thought before slowly shaking his head.

"No…I don't know."

"Okay, don't worry," she slipped his chart back into its place. "You took quite a fall and the trauma was pretty heavy. Just relax and I'll call Dr Macey." With a slight frown that she tried to hide, she left he room. Mulder turned to face the wall, his mind racing with questions but void of answers.

***

Scully listened as Agent Watters and AD Skinner spoke about the surveillance the day before. She offered her input but found it hard to keep her thoughts on the case. She sat at the large conference table unaware of the glances that were shared by the other two men, as they seemed to share a private conversation about her. The file sat in front of her barely touched. A fast knock on the outer door of the office brought her back to the room and she looked up to see whom Skinner had beckoned to enter. Agent Reilly bustled quickly through the door holding a video and a pile of photos that he handed out to Skinner.

"AD Skinner, sorry for the intrusion but this is really important. Yesterday Agent Mulder sent us 15 hours of security footage from the Marriott Hotel and its car park that are both found adjacent to the Museum. Well we've been through the whole lot and today one of the guys picked this up.may I?" he indicated towards the VCR as he slipped the tape in. "That's him," he pointed to a small object that moved across the grainy screen.

"Who?" Skinner asked looking down at the photos for the first time.

"The suspect."

"How can you tell from there?" Watters asked.

"We blew it up and it's defiantly him…the problem is we can't figure out how he got from the window to the fire escape."

"He could have had a safety rope rigged up."

"We thought that at first but the angle of the arc he takes across to the fire escape doesn't fit a rope or any kind of fastenings. We'd like to send out a forensics team to see if we can find any friction marks at the scene."

"Of course, straight away." Skinner passed the photos around to the other two agents who looked at them intently. Scully turned the photo in her hand as she tried to make sense of it.

"It's like he's walking on the wall," she said suddenly remembering how one of the agents had said that yesterday. Another knock this time softer and coming from the other door made her look up. Kimberly, Skinner's assistant stepped in and glanced at her.

"Mr. Skinner. the hospital called. Agent Mulder has woken up." She looked again towards Scully who stood up from her chair and slipped on her jacket.

"Call me when you have news Agent Scully," Skinner called after her as she made her way to the hospital.

***

Mulder sat up in the bed as the doctor examined him. The cold metal instruments made him twitch as they were placed against his bare skin. His headache had diminished to a dull throb but his arm was still raw.

"I want you to answer these questions quickly without thinking about the answers," Dr Macey said as he looked into his eyes and listened to his heart. "Where were you born?"

"Eh."

"What's your mothers maiden name?"

"Dunno about that one."

"7 times 7?"

"49."

"Capital of Italy?"

"Rome."

"What age are you?"

"34."

"What's your full name?"

"Hmmm."

"How do you feel?" Mulder frowned at him but he only smiled back. "I mean now, how are you feeling?"

"A little lost, confused."

"The trauma you sustained has caused some swelling in your brain. The coma you've been in, is your bodies way of shutting down to let your brain recuperate, letting it rest until the swelling goes down." Mulder listened intently and his eyes widened in shock as all the information sunk in. "To be brutally honest, we didn't expect you to wake up for another day or so; until the swelling had reduced. It is possible that this is what is causing your memory loss and it will more than likely return in a day or so. Relaxation is the key."

"A day or so? Relax? Are you kidding?"

"No…and the less we tell you about your life the better for you. The more you immerse yourself in familiar environments the more likely it is that your memory will return."

"Can you at least tell me my name?"

"Yes…It's Fox Mulder." The doctor smiled a little at him and sat down on the edge of the bad. "I know it's tough to be in your position. Your shoulder will need another day of complete rest but we can free it tomorrow, and after more x-rays to check your swelling," he tapped the side of his head. "You should be able to go home in a couple of days."

"Home? Where is that?"

"A psychiatrist will be by shortly to go through an evaluation with you but from what I can tell, you seem to have lost minimal neural memory, I anticipate no difficulty in its recovery."

Mulder seemed to take some comfort in his words and watched as the doctor stood to leave. Macey walked out of the room and was met by Scully at the door.

"Ms Scully?"

"Yes, how is he?"

"He's awake. But the trauma he sustained has caused a memory lapse. The frontal lobe on the left side of his brain is swollen. I can only imagine that he turned in an effort to save himself and ended up hitting his head first."

"Amnesia?" she said quietly, afraid to say it out loud in case it was true.

"Retrograde amnesia. More common than you'd think. He has full motor skills and general information. He has also retained minimal personal information but his identity is gone."

"How long could it last?"

"Again like the coma we have no way of telling. I'm not an expert but this seems to be a mild case and with the swelling still visible it shouldn't be long. Once he gets himself immersed into a familiar environment and relaxes it should all come back."

Scully listened to the doctor but his words flew right past her.

"Can I see him?"

"Of course. But to warn you again he has lost his Memory…he has been told nothing of his life so don't be upset if he doesn't remember you." She nodded and urged the tears to stay away as she walked into the room.

From his bed Mulder could see the doctor talking to someone outside the door through the small window. He could see the top of a head and a small hand that absently ran through its red hair. He couldn't hear what they were saying but was sure it was about him. When the door opened slowly, a petite woman with vibrant red hair stepped cautiously towards him. He watched her steps and knew instantly that the smile she wore wasn't entirely felt. She stood next to his bed and took his hand in hers. He was surprised by the simple gesture and couldn't help but smile at her. Her eyes were a strange blue that shimmered and turned a light gray.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Spaced…strange…it's kinda spooky."

His words stung without intention and she glanced up to see if he was teasing. Without thinking she reached up to his head and gently pushed his hair aside, leaning in closer to check his dressing. His breath caught in his throat trapping a delicious smell of her perfume.

"They stitched you up well. Does it hurt?"

"Only when people poke at it."

She smiled and sat on the bed next to him, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask…but who are you?" He didn't want to say it unsure of how she would react.

"Oh sorry." She dropped his hand and stood up from the bed. "Dana Scully."

"Hi Dana…Fox Mulder." He held out his hand and she took it with a sad smile. "Are we…I mean…do we…?" he stammered

"Spit it out Mulder."

"I mean I know we're not married." he wiggled his empty ring finger on his left hand. "But are we-"

"No, no we're not." She smiled at his discomfort. "We work together. We've been partners at the FBI since 1991."

"FBI? Wow."

A silence fell between them and she avoided his watchful gaze. He tried to catch her wandering eyes but he couldn't.

"So no one around here will tell me anything. I don't suppose you'll fill me in?"

"What would you like to know?"

‘I want to know why the urge to kiss you is all but overwhelming, and yet you maintain we only work together? I want to know how your skin feels beneath my hands? To see if it feels as familiar as I hope it should?’ his mind screamed. "I guess we can start with the easy stuff…like who I am? he said aloud.

"For starters, that is not an easy question. You are a very complicated man."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It can be." He smiled at her vague answers and wondered if she was always so closed off. "You are the best investigator I've ever worked with," she added.

"We make a good team." he said and she wasn't sure if it was a question or not so she said nothing. When her mobile rang she reached quickly for it and walked away from the bed towards the window.

"Scully."

"Agent Scully, it's Agent Watters. We have the prints and a match. We're setting up a meeting in one hour in the bullpen."

"I'm on my way."

"How is Agent Mulder?"

"He's awake," she glanced at him and caught him staring after her following her movements as she paced the small room. "He's getting better."

"Great, well I'll see you later."

"Work?" he asked after she put the phone away.

"Yeah, I have to get back." She sat next to him and, silently damming the consequences, she took his hand and held it in hers tightly. "Will you be okay?"

"Yes." He smiled. "I'll be bored but I'll be okay."

"I'll come by and see you later. Give me a call if you need anything."

"Okay. Thanks Dana."

His use of her first name stung more than she thought it would, but she pushed it away. Standing up she curled her hair behind her ears and turned to face him. He noticed her eyes had gone back to a bright blue.

"I'll see you later. Try to get some rest."

"Bye."

She cast a final glance at him and walked out of the room. He watched her leave and not for the first time since she entered the room a strange feeling passed through him. His smile slowly faded as he lay back into the bed. His head ache forgotten he tried to think of his past but images of the mysterious Dana Scully plagued him. Wondering idly whether he was imagining them or remembering them he decided not to worry and let them play through his mind.

***

As she made her way through the bullpen she spotted agent Watters sitting at the center table with three other Agents. He beckoned her over and pulled out a seat at the small table.

"How is Agent Mulder doing?" he asked immediately.

"He's awake, but he's sustained considerable trauma to the left side of his head, resulting in amnesia." Her words stunned and silenced the other men.

"How bad is it?"

"He has retained full working knowledge but no specific personal facts. Like I'm sure he'll be able to continue profiling, but he couldn't tell you his address."

"How long will it last?"

"It's difficult to tell. It could be a few days, a week…a year."

She reached up and brushed her hair away from her face, her tiredness showing through. She expected the questions but didn't expect it would be so hard to talk about. Agent Watters noticed her discomfort and began to shuffle the papers in front of him. The others got the silent message and abruptly busied themselves looking for the ever-elusive page. Scully silently sighed, relieved to be away from their scrutiny.

"The match came through about an hour ago," Simpson began. "Michael Carson, Aged 38 resides.or rather resided in Ohio, Columbus Ohio. Student Housing. We have no current address yet."

"How did you get the match?" Scully asked.

"It seems that he gave blood, prints and DNA sampling to a University program. He shouldn't be too hard to track. Any hospital visits or traffic tickets, anything like that, should highlight his location."

"We found something at the scene," Agent Reilly said quickly, eager to share his information. The mixture of wonder and excitement on his face made her think of Mulder, but she pushed it away and tried to concentrate.

"There was no trace of any rig set up or any protection he might have wore. The friction on the roof or from the windowsill would have been evident had a rig been set up. But we did find this..." He passed around photos of the wall with prints clearly marked from the window to the fire escape. "It's like he walked on all fours to get across the wall."

"How is that possible?" Watters asked.

"I don't know." they all turned to Scully.

"If Mulder was here he'd make some joke about Spiderman," she said, unaware that she'd said it out loud until she heard the ripple of laughter chorus around the table.

"He was a science Student majoring in Microbiology," Simpson added as if for an explanation.

"Could he have developed…some sort of…" Watters began but his words faded out.

"The two assailants were identified by Agents Burns and Doyle. They are John Markus and Mike Lennon." Agent Salmon stood to hand out the profiles. "Both of them served time on Riker's and we're searching for a connection to Carson. John Markus was arrested for illegal genetic testing and Mike Lennon was in for gun smuggling."

"That doesn't seem to be a great match," Simpson said.

"Depends on what you're planning."

"No weapons have been used in any heist by Carson," Scully said

"None that we know of. Not yet."

"I have a team ready to go tonight on a suspected location of these two." Agent Salmon slapped the pages in front of him and turned to Watters. "All I need is your GO sir."

"You got it. What team did you pick?"

"I got Agent Doyle's team, less Agent Burns."

"How is he doing?"

"Bad shoulder injury; looks like he'll be taking desk duty for a while after he gets out."

A somber silence fell around them and Scully's thoughts displayed an image of Mulder lying on the hospital bed. She couldn't imagine him filling in a desk position happily but with the state he was in at the moment she couldn't imagine him filling in any position at the FBI. Her thoughts came crashing back to the present as she heard them talking about the raid that would take place that night. Her annoyance at not being asked to participate was dissolved when she felt a dull throb start in her head. Any idea she had about involving herself died. Suddenly the four men stood and began to gather their papers. She slowly fixed the profiles she'd been handed and fit them into her briefcase. As the other men left Agent Watters sat back down.

"Agent Scully," he said softly. "I was speaking to AD Skinner and he asked me to give you some time away from the case. But I thought you'd rather decide that for yourself. The raid is leaving the south garage at 10pm if you want to join them give Agent Salmon a shout."

"Thank you Agent Watters."

"If you want to drop the case at any point, please don't hesitate to talk to me."

"I'll be fine." She smiled at him grateful for the equal treatment he extended to her. She worked so hard for it that when it was handed to her she really did appreciate it. "I'll be working with Agent Simpson on the background search."

***

"Fox Mulder, FBI," he said not for the first time to the ceiling.

He'd been lying in the bed all day, alone, save for the few nurses that checked his vitals, more out of curiosity as to who he was rather than necessity. His headache had subsided enough for him to sit up out of the bed and stagger over to the bathroom. Leaning against the sink and staring at his own strange reflection, he pulled at his face as if it were a new suit.

"FBI Freeze," he said to the mirror. With a little laugh he made his way back to the bed, thankful for the private room, as his hospital gown was surely covering nothing. It had been hours since Dana Scully had breezed in and he still found it hard not to think about her. Maybe it was because he had so few memories he told himself. The image of her standing in front of him when she'd brushed aside his hair was flashing constantly before him and he made no effort to remove it.

The door opened slowly and he watched a tall man enter, a small smile on his face. He approached the bed and placed a bunch of flowers on the table beside it.

"Hello, I'm Walter Skinner."

"Fox Mulder." He stuck out his hand and the stranger looked at it for a minute before shaking it. "Are you from the FBI?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"A guess."

"I'm your boss."

"My boss? Visiting me in hospital? I must have been good at what I did."

"You were…you are." Skinner struggled to speak to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Confused. A little worried but they told me not to think about it. It should all fall back when I least expect it."

"You don't believe them?"

"I'm trying to but, you know…it's hard." Skinner watched him for a minute and saw so little of the Mulder he'd worked with for the past four years.

"Well there will be a place for you at the FBI whether you regain your memories or not."

"Will there?" Mulder was more than surprised.

"Of course you'll need to go through re-qualification tests but from what Agent Scully has said that shouldn't be a problem."

At the mention of her name, another flash burned into his eyes and he suppressed the smile his face itched to break into.

"Mr. Mulder?" A nurse walked in pushing an empty wheel chair. Skinner took a step back and allowed her to stop the chair by the bed.

"It's good to see you Mulder, I'll see you soon." Skinner turned and left as the nurse came over to him.

"Now Mr. Mulder."

"Please call me Fox."

"Well Fox, we have an appointment down in Neurology for a CT Scan." She unfolded the blue blanket from the seat and urged him to sit into it.

"Can't I just walk?"

"No," she said flatly. He managed to step out of the bed and with only one hand found it hard to keep his gown closed. "Come on now, it isn't anything I've not seen before!" With an increasing blush he sat into the chair and took the blanket she laid over his lap.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Still a bit confused."

"Hopefully you'll be right as rain in a few days."

"Yeah…hopefully." He mirrored her words but felt none of her optimism.

***

"Excuse me miss, but visiting hours are over."

Scully had hoped to walk by without being noticed, but the night nurse at the station seemed to have little to do.

"I know but I have been working all day and haven't had a chance to get in to see him."

"I understand but the rules are there for the patients benefit. It's half ten."

"Do you mind if I just drop some things in?" she held up a small bag she'd been carrying.

"To who?"

"Mr. Mulder in room 219"

"Oh Fox. Of course you can. But you mustn't stay long."

"Thank you."

Scully walked on quickly and wondered briefly at the nurse's use of his first name. As she came to his room she opened the door slowly and noticed how dark it was in side. Giving her eyes a second to adjust she closed the door behind her and the click seemed to resonate loudly around the room. She could see him laying still on the bed, his outline clear in the moonlight that shone through the half closed blinds. His breathing was undetectable so she gently laid the bag on the end of the bed and sat down into the chair. Her evening had been spent with Agent Simpson who left with the raid at 10pm. She had gone down to the garage and seen the team off, but opted not to join them as her aching limbs screamed for some attention. Resting her elbows on he thighs she let her head fall into her hands, her hair falling around them. She didn't hear the soft rustle of the sheets until a hand reached out and touched the back of her neck. Long strong fingers gently rubbed its base and she reveled in their touch.

"Bad day?" he said softly and she almost let him continue before she sat up, causing him to drop his hand onto his lap. He switched the bedside lamp on that showered them in a soft light.

"Yes, a long one." She stood and collected the bag from the end of the bed. "I got you some things from your apartment."

Mulder took the bag and looked in to see some toiletries and a blue pair of pajamas. He wasn't sure which pleased him more, the sight of comfortable bedclothes or the thought that she had a key to his apartment and obviously knew his sleeping habits, enough to know what he'd like to wear.

"Thanks, this gown is killing me." He stood shakily and carried the pajamas into the bathroom. The warm feeling of relief that washed over her as he walked across the room surprised her. Happy that he was awake, delighted that he was walking. "So were you busy at work?" he called through the still open door.

"Yeah. A lot of research needs to be done to see if we can locate the guy that.the suspect."

He emerged from the bathroom barefoot wearing only the pyjama bottoms, with one side of them pulled up higher than the other and carrying the top in his good hand.

"It's good to see you walking."

"I got too bored to lie about." He held his free hand up high through the sleeve and tried to drop the top over his shoulders. He struggled for a while leaning back into the bed.

"Here," Scully stepped over to the bed and found herself standing between his legs. "Let me."

He let his arm drop and sat forward suddenly realizing how close she was standing to him, she tried to ignore the caress of his breath against her neck as she reached around his back to grab his top. With his left arm still fixed to his chest she gently covered it and started to button it up.

"Thanks," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. "I had a CT Scan today," he blurted out, eager to relieve the tension that had suddenly risen between them.

"Oh? Any news?"

"Dr Macey says that the swelling has gone down a lot. He said that I should be fit to go home by Monday."

"Monday? So soon?"

"Yeah."

"How does that make you feel?"

"You sound like a psychologist," he joked.

"No, just a friend."

"I guess it makes me feel scared. I don't even know where I live." He reached down and fiddled with the last button on his top.

"I'll take you."

He looked up and saw her concerned look. She was smiling but he could tell she didn't feel like it. She looked tired he thought and wished he could help her relax. But he didn't know anymore what would make her relax, what would stop her thinking about the trying day she'd obviously been through. She noticed his silence and felt his stare.

"Everyone at work sends their wishes." He knew she was trying to change the subject so he didn't push.

"So are you working tomorrow?"

"I have an early morning meeting but after that no."

"Working on a Sunday, this FBI job sounds better and better the more I hear about it."

"It's a case, on a case you work until it's solved. Then you get your rest. After all the reports have been written and approved."

"So what kind of cases have we solved?"

"It's hard to describe. Unusual cases. We work on something called the X-files. Any unexplainable phenomena that crops up usually ends up one way or another in our office."

"Unexplained? Like what?"

Despite herself Scully smiled. The conversation was mirroring one she'd had with her father shortly after her assignment to the X-Files. It was hard to explain the hard work they went through case after case to someone who would see it as only chasing little green men.

"Well." she hesitated, not sure how he would take it. "Anything involving the paranormal like telekinesis, psycho kinesis, telepathy unexplained disappearances, genetic mutation…pretty much anything you can think of. We've probably got a case on it somewhere."

Mulder's face froze and his eyes widened as she went through the list. "Are you kidding?"

"No. No I'm not." Scully watched him closely but saw only shock. Not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry she tried to keep her emotions at bay. A soft knock at the door made them both turn to see a nurse step in.

"I'm sorry but you had better leave."

"Of course." She stood and stepped away from the bed. Turning to him she found him watching her, a sad smile tugging on his lips. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just…it doesn't matter."

"What is it, Mulder?" She reached over and took his hand in a gentle squeeze.

"Thanks for coming by."

"It's no problem. I'll see you tomorrow around lunch time." She paused for a moment and he wondered what thoughts were flying through her mind. Rummaging in her pocket she pulled out a business card and a pen and quickly jotted something down. Holding it out to him he took it and saw two phone numbers. "That's my home and mobile numbers, you can call me anytime you need me. Okay?"

"Thanks."

She took his hand again and gently rubbed her thumb over the middle of his palm, sending tingling sensations ripple through his arm. With a small smile he lay back in to the pillows watching as the nurse lead her away.

***

The large conference room was big enough to sit over fifty agents but with only half that present it seemed all the bigger. Slides were displayed on the furthest wall from the thick double doors, and the commentary washed over an exhausted audience sternly. Scully sat with Skinner near the back of the assembled group. She caught his curious glance as she took her seat earlier but he said nothing. The raid the night before had been fruitless, ending in a bloody shootout. With two agents shot and one of the suspects killed the other one managed to escape in the chaos.

Agent Watters paced the top of the room berating the carelessness that had taken place, and Scully was thankful again not to have been present. Guilt washed over her as she thought that she could have helped and possibly changed the outcome of the raid, but was quickly pushed aside when she knew there would have been nothing she could have done.

Her night had consisted of a quick shower while longing for a bath and a restless nap while longing for a deep uninterrupted sleep. The alarm clock jolted her up and she dragged her uncooperative body into the cold Sunday morning. A soft frost covered the windows and she shivered before throwing her robe on.

Thoughts of Mulder swayed around her as she went wordlessly through her morning routine of coffee and showers, before dressing and rushing out the door for the Sunday conference. Skinner had called her last night to tell her about the raid so she knew the agents that had been there would feel her presence as support. Watters afforded her an uneasy nod as he entered the full room, but his eyes stayed away from hers during the meeting. Finally the room filed out in an eerie silence. Skinner stood up beside her and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"How is he?"

"Much better…physically. Looks like he'll be home by tomorrow."

"Then what?"

"Well then he'll have to recuperate." she let her eyes fall down to her hands that rested interlinked on her lap. "And if he doesn't, he'll have to adjust.we all will."

He squeezed her shoulder and without words of condolences or useless smiles he simple left. Scully stood to fix her jacket that lay perfectly against her slim body. She spotted Watters hovering by and wanted to give him the chance to approach her before she left.

"Agent Scully.I wanted to talk to you for a minute."

"What is it?"

"Well firstly I wanted to apologize for the disastrous raid that happened last night."

"You don't need to do that-,"

"No, Please, if anyone else needs this case solved quicker than you or Mulder it's me." She knew exactly what he meant and again the slow motion image of Mulder falling from the roof played before her eyes. "Anyway, you know as well as I do that once an Agent is down a case becomes so much more urgent."

"Agent Mulder is not the only one who's been injured here," she said trying to keep the anger from her voice.

"No, but he was the first. and excuse me if I feel a little blame."

"Blame? You didn't drop him," she reached out and touched his arm, her voice soft and low.

"No, but I didn't hold on either." Before she could utter another word he walked by her and out of the room. She imagined he wanted to slam the door but with the control arms closing it slowly, it simply closed with a soft thud.

She found herself back in her apartment. The suit she wore was tossed in favor of more casual clothes, as she put on a pair of black jeans and a light blue short-sleeved top with a low v-neck. As she walked to her car a cool wind gently caressed her shoulders. The sun shone brightly mocking her somber mood as she drove to the hospital. The halls were alive with visitors and she entered Mulder's room to find Frohike its only occupant.

"Frohike? Where is Mulder?" she said startling him from his reverie out the window.

"Langly and Byers took him down to the canteen to prove some sort of conspiracy theory."

"What?

"Something about drugs in Jell-O to placate patients while tests are being done."

"Of course, what else." She sat heavily onto the bed emitting a sigh louder than she would have liked.

"Tired?"

"Long morning."

"Worried about Mulder?"

She didn't reply. She didn't need to. Frohike took the seat beside the bed and looked up at her, waiting for her to look back. Finally she looked up from the floor and found him smiling oddly. He nodded his head a little and she couldn't help but smile at his clumsy attempt to comfort her and yet suddenly she was comforted. Suddenly she wasn't the only one who knew Mulder well enough to realize how bad this could be, suddenly she wasn't the only one who knew how bad this was for her.

A loud ruckus from the hallway broke their silent exchange and they both watched the door as the noise got louder. The door swung open, only the stopper on the floor saving the wall behind it. Langly roughly pushed Mulder into the room in a wheelchair his glare still staring out the door behind him he didn't see her. Mulder did.

He caught the subtle essence of her perfume as soon as the door was opened and was pretty sure it wasn't Frohike's. He saw her sitting on his bed and smiled. She returned her smile but he knew it wasn't one of her best. He'd only known her for a day or so but he imagined she had better, warmer, more intimate smiles than the ones she had shown him and he was going to make it his mission to seek them out.

"Scully, hey!" Langly exclaimed abandoning the wheelchair in the middle of the room he approached her. For a second she thought he was going to hug her before he held on to her arm and leaned in closer to her. "I was monitoring some seriously suspicious activity in the canteen you might want to take a look." he whispered to her, his eyes darting around the room.

"You write me a report and I'll see what I can do."

As Byers entered the room his usually impeccable suit a little awry she had to hold back a small laugh. He tugged at his tie and straightened it.

"We have to leave gentlemen. Apparently we are causing a scene."

Mulder stood from the chair and ambled slowly over to the bed, sitting in the space that Scully had occupied only moments earlier. They said their goodbyes and left amid words shouted down the hallway, leaving them alone in the small room. Mulder looked at her in her street clothes and liked what he saw. The sun beamed in through the large windows as Mulder lounged back on the bed. He rested both his hands behind his head interlocking his fingers. It was only then she noticed he was without his sling.

"Your arm, it's free!" she walked over to him and he sat forward, extending his arm for her to examine. Her medically trained fingers ran the length of his arm.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not really. I was told to take it easy for a week or so."

She slipped her hand in under the collar of his pyjama top and gripped his shoulder firmly while bending and rotating his arm.

"The muscle is still very tight. Did they show you the exercises you need?"

"Yes Doctor!" he quipped but what he meant as a light joke stung her. She released him but before she could pull away he grabbed her wrist. "Dana…sorry." She wouldn't meet his eyes but he held on to her and continued regardless. "I don't know what type of person I was before Saturday morning but lying on this bed all day, and lying awake all night is driving me crazy. The only other thing that's worse is the incessant questions about how I'm feeling." He smiled a little hoping she'd look up and caught it, maybe even return it, but her eyes stayed away. "Mostly though, I can't help but think about you."

She looked up a frown creasing her soft brow. "Me?"

"Yeah you." His grip on her wrist slackened and he rubbed her palm with his thumb mimicking her gesture from the night before. "Everyone keeps asking me how I'm feeling. I've lost my memory…lost who I am…Fox Mulder. But so have you, Dana." He paused catching and holding her gaze. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she answered quickly, too quickly he thought.

"I'm pretty sure the old me wouldn't let you away with such an irreverent answer, so I sure as hell won't."

"Really Mulder, I'm fine."

For a minute he said nothing, releasing her hand he sat back into the bed and watched her.

"Why do you do that?"

Surprised she looked up.

"Do what?"

“Right now Dana, you are the only friend I've got. I know I've forgotten everything that was special between us…" He sat up letting his legs fall over the edge.

"Mulder-"

"Why are you closing me off? Now? When I need you the most? When I need you open? When I need you honest?" His words spilled out quickly his face a picture of anguish and misery.

She watched him silently for a minute before stepping closer. Without explanation or without the need to she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. He shifted his legs so they hung either side of her and cuddled her closer, his hands clasped behind her back.

For a moment he thought she was crying but when she pulled away her eyes were clear and her cheeks dry.

"I'm sorry Mulder. I guess I was trying to handle everything myself."

"Well don't."

A soft cough by the open door made them both turn to see Dr Macey approaching them. Reluctantly Mulder let his hands fall from her waist as she stepped out of his embrace.

"Mr. Mulder, I got your CT Scan results from this morning."

"What's the verdict?"

"Again I see remarkable recovery. The swelling has decreased again. Your shoulder should be fully healed in a week or so, if you stick to the routine the physio gave you."

"All I need now is the all clear from the shrink."

"Well I spoke to Dr Gavin this morning and she agrees with my opinion that you are ready to be released."

Mulder's face froze. As much as he wanted to leave, all he knew was this room, this hospital. "Today?"

"Well officially the paperwork won't have gone through until tomorrow morning, but I see no reason that you can't go home today."

"That's…great," he said, refusing to meet Scully's gaze.

"If you could set up some more appointments with Dr Gavin, or should you prefer an FBI counselor. Either way, I strongly recommend that you continue the sessions. For your own benefit, your own peace of mind."

"What's left of it," he murmured.

"I've booked you in for another scan next Friday so we can monitor your progress. So I'll see you then."

Mulder took the hand he extended and shook it firmly. "Thank you." When he left Mulder finally turned to Scully, who was watching him closely. "I guess this is it. Home time."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'll grab my things."

He walked over the bathroom and collected what little possessions he had. He returned to find Scully gathering his stuff and putting them into the bag she'd brought yesterday. She had taken his suit out of the tall locker and left his trousers and shirt out on the bed. He pulled off the pyjama top over his head and gently slipped into the white shirt.

"I can't believe I'm going home."

"Are you nervous?"

He stopped doing up the buttons and turned to her.

"I've been lying here wondering about who I was and where I might live. I just…I dunno," he turned away and grabbed the trousers off the bed. Without hesitation he pulled off his bottoms revealing the pair of black boxers she'd packed for him.

"Just what?" she said her voice displaying none of the surprise she felt.

"Just now that I'm going to be faced with the mysterious Fox Mulder, I can't help but feel intimidated."

Finally he pulled up his trousers and belted them loosely around his hips. He half tucked his shirt in, having trouble reaching all the way round with his injured arm.

"Don't worry so much. It's you. Everything you'll see will be you. Not something you have to live up to but something you already are. It's just a matter of letting go and turning over to instinct." Hearing her own words she couldn't help but smile sadly. Knowing that usually Mulder would make a joke at her if she suggested he follow his gut feelings.

They packed the rest of his belongings in silence and with one final look to make sure nothing was forgotten, they left.

He stared out the window watching the streets he imagined should be familiar, stream by. They blurred into one long street of buildings and trees. He could feel her occasional gaze fall on his when her eyes strayed from the road but he made no move to force out a smile. As she pulled up outside his apartment he continued to stare out, unaware the car had stopped.

"Mulder, we're here." She reached over and gently squeezed his arm. Slowly he turned to her and she saw how pale he was. "Are you okay?"

He nodded wordlessly and pulled himself out of the car. He waited for her as she walked around to him and followed her up to the door. As she searched for the key he saw his name next to the number 42 on the residents list.

"Apartment 42," he said absently as if saying it aloud would help him remember.

He stood half a step behind her in the elevator watching the numbers count up to the fourth floor. When the doors slid open she looked up to his strained face and tried to smile reassuringly at him. Taking his hand, she led him to the apartment and after unlocking the door she stood by to let him enter first.

Tentatively he stepped in, still holding her hand. His grip tightened as he surveyed the room that stood before him. A low black leather couch lay against a wall and a shelving unit beside it strained under the weight of a large fish tank and he guessed over three hundred videos. His gaze fell on the desk that sat beneath the window holding his computer and cluttered with open files, a few cups, and he was sure that was a pizza box. The TV stood to his left between two chairs and the floor beside it was littered with videotapes.

With both of his hands clasped behind his back, he still held hers as he made his way into the kitchen. He found it to be clean, functional and barely touched.

"I guess I'm not the entertaining type," he joked but she heard the disappointment in his voice and placed a hand on his back. He liked the way she rubbed him gently offering her support and turned back to the living room.

The bathroom door was open and the floor strewn with towels. He shook his head laughing softly as he walked by it to what he presumed to be the bedroom door. He opened the door and smiled at the sight of the large bed and almost as big TV. She leaned against the doorframe as he walked around the room and fingered the objects he left lying around. A Tom Clancy book lay open on one of his pillows and a box of headache pills sat beneath his lamp on top of the alarm clock. He pushed the bed and laughed out loud when it swayed around the swirling water.

"A water bed? I think this is my favorite room!"

"You know you used to have mirrors up there." She pointed to the roof over the bed smiling.

"What happened?" delighted that she'd been in his room before, possibly in his bed.

"You said you kept waking up to find someone staring at you so you got rid of them."

"Afraid of my own reflection? Talk about manly!"

His mood dropped low again and his smile faded. He sat onto the bed and laid back, a long low shuddering breath escaped past his lips and he closed his eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah…I guess I was expecting something to happen."

She said nothing knowing her words would do nothing to alleviate his worries. Suddenly he sat up and managed to get off the still moving bed. He walked over and stood in front of her. Taking both of her hands in his he smiled weakly.

"Thanks…for coming. For taking me."

"No problem." A silence fell between them and he continued to watch her. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes. I am. But I need a shower."

"You take a shower and I'll see what I can make."

She returned to the living room and collected the cups from the desk. She could hear the shower running as she put them into the sink and opened the fridge. Inside she found a carton of Orange Juice, a few beers and a packet of peanuts but little else that could be described as food. She cleaned out the cups and put them away. Back on the couch she could hear him moving around in his bedroom and tried to imagine what it would be like to arrive at her apartment with no memory. How would she cope?

Mulder stepped out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around his waist. He could see her standing by the sink washing the cups and wondered how often he'd seen that image before. He wondered if he felt the same warm feeling of protection before as he felt right now. Turning he went into the bedroom and rummaged through his wardrobe. He found five Knicks t-shirts and multiple plain ones. Opting for a plain black he threw it onto the bed behind him. Pulling out a pair of black jeans he quickly dried off and dressed. He entered the living room carrying his socks and boots, to find her resting back on the couch her feet up on his low table. He took in the picture for a moment before she looked up and smiled.

"I'm afraid lunch is off," she said.

"Why?" he replied trying not to show his disappointment as he sat next to her.

"Well the only edible thing in your house is nuts."

"Oh, sorry!"

"We could go out and get food or even go back to my place."

"Sure." He reached down tying his boots. "This apartment is getting to me," he added almost as an after thought.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm sitting here surrounded by all this stuff that's supposed to be my home and I'm a complete stranger to it all."

"Give it time."

"I know I know…give it time, relax, it'll all come back." His voice was harsher than he would have liked but he couldn't help it. He rubbed his face vigorously with both hands and let them brush through his hair. "Sorry but I feel like I'm being tested and I don't even know the questions."

"Come on. Lets get out of here and get you relaxed."

He smiled at her and even raised his eyebrow a bit in that all too familiar gesture. A low burning blush crept past her neck and flamed into her cheeks, but before she could look away he caught her chin and turned her to face him fully. He didn't move or say anything but the smile he wore spoke volumes to her only deepening her blush. A million thoughts whirled through her head but before one of them could be developed fully, he released her and stood. Extending a hand out to her she allowed him to pull her up and they left.

***

Skinner sat at his desk. Sunday morning work had turned into Sunday lunchtime. A small radio on his desk softly read the football scores into the otherwise silent room. His glasses rested on the table between his elbows, his head hung in his hands. Rubbing his eyes with the heals of his hands he sat back into his chair blinking rapidly until the room focused again.

Slipping on his glasses he picked up his pen and tapped it rhythmically on the edge of the table. A soft and surprising knock made him look up to the opening door in time to see Agent Watters stick his head around.

"Sir?"

"Agent Watters, you're still here?"

"Yeah, my wife is going to kill me."

"What can I do for you?"

"Well sir I wanted to talk to you about the Carson case."

"Go on." Skinner nodded towards the chair and Watters quickly passed through the room, barely sitting on the edge of it. Skinner noticed how he was ready to bolt for the door and a sheen of sweat covered his brow.

"I don't think I can continue with point."

"Why not?"

"Sir I worked very closely with Agent Mulder when he was devising his profile. I arranged the surveillance of the gallery."

"If you're trying to convince me that you're not capable then you're going the wrong way about it."

"No sir, It's just that the fall."

"Have you spoken to the counselor?"

"Yes sir."

"Agent Watters," Skinner stood up from his chair and walked around the table. Leaning against it he let his arms cross his chest. "I understand you are going through some problems and in a perfect world we could let you go, take some time off. We are already three men down because of this dammed case and I'm not about to loose another one. You said it yourself, you worked closely with Mulder for this profile so you know you're the best man to take over."

"Agent Scully-."

"Agent Scully is working on research and will still be available but having just...lost her partner I think we can afford to give her some room."

"I spoke to her this morning," he said softly. "She seems some what determined to be fully involved."

Skinner smiled. Having worked with her for over five years he knew she would. He tried to get Watters to give her less work but he knew she wouldn't hear of it. She was always obstinate when it came to her work and now with Mulder's injuries she became even more so.

"Agent Watters, go home. Spend the day with your family and come back ready for the meeting in the bullpen tomorrow morning."

"Yes sir." He stood and walked out of the room. A young officer already in a position of power. Skinner wondered if he made the right decision and returned to his desk and the files waiting patiently for his attention.

***

Scully gently folded the omelet over in the pan and shook it tenderly making sure it wasn't fused to the pan. They had driven to her apartment, in silence, a little over an hour ago. He immediately started to look around, a strange smile on his lips. She wandered into the kitchen to make some lunch, letting him explore by himself. He walked slowly around her front room and let his fingers gently brush the spines of the books on her shelves as he read the titles, trying desperately to decipher any information he could about her. Mostly they were medical publications with a few magazines, but one title caught his eye and he pulled it off the shelf.

"The Thief of Always by Clive Barker," he said to no one.

Leafing through the small book he paused at each of the illustrations and thought how strange it was for her to have this book stacked with her research files. On the inside of the cover he found an inscription. Looking up he saw her still in the kitchen reaching into a high cupboard for plates. The cuff of her top rising above the rim of her jeans gave him a glimpse of her skin that yelled to be touched. He focused back on the book and read the inscription.

'Scully, Fears we face are fears we control, Love Mulder.'

For a long moment he stared at the words, allowing his fingers to brush over the lettering.

"You gave me that about two months ago."

Her voice so close startled him. She stood beside him looking down at the book in his hands a sad smile tugging on her lips. Without realizing it he was matching her expression.

"What does it mean?" he asked showing her the inscription.

"It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I'll tell you about it over lunch, which by the way is ready."

They sat at her kitchen table eating in silence for a while.

"So tell me," he urged.

"We were on a case out in Maine," she began. "We had followed a suspect out to his home and settled in for a long stay. The stakeout started at around eleven and I guess I fell asleep at maybe two AM."

She paused long enough to take a bite of her omelet and a sip of water. He had cleared his plate and refused another. Contentedly he sat and watched her eat, listening avidly to her story. She remembered the night well and thought of it often.

A miserable rain fell against the window she rested her head on and lulled her into a restless sleep. For a while Mulder had continued to speak, not realizing she had fallen asleep. Turning down the radio he leaned back into his chair and watched the dark windows for and sign of movement. She'd been asleep for almost an hour before she started talking. At first he thought she was snoring and he couldn't help but chuckle. But then he heard her words.

"No, I'm not afraid."

Leaning in closer he could see a soft sheen on her cheek from tears that had managed to break free from her thick lashes. He reached out to her hands and found them cold and trembling. The car heating was on enough to fog the windows so he pulled his trench coat from the back seat and draped it over her small body. She turned into his heat and one cold hand reached out to gripped his suit jacket.

"No…don't leave...I am afraid," she murmured.

"Scully?" he called her name. He knuckles were white from the tight grip he had on him. But suddenly she dropped it. "Scully?" he called again.

Her eyes fluttered open and she frowned at the sight of him leaning so close over her.

"I think you were dreaming." He sat back into his own chair.

"Was I?" she sat up and rubbed her face with her hands, surprised to find her cheek dampened from what few tears had fallen.

"You were talking in your sleep."

Her hands stopped and she let them fall onto her lap. Facing him she saw nothing but concern in his eyes and tried to smile for him.

"If it was a bad dream I can't remember it."

He didn't believe her but he let it slide deciding not to push.

"Well you're in the right place for nightmares."

"What? In a cold car? On a rainy night? With you?" she said pleased that he changed the subject.

"In Maine. Stephan King country."

"King didn't scare me."

"No? Who then? Who kept you awake at night, one hand on the torch the other on your heart?" His voice had lost all its tension and he pushed his words out in a whisper a faint impression of Vincent Price clinging to them. She smiled letting his good mood embrace her.

"Clive Barker. One of his books I read when I was young."

"Aww Scully, you're still young!"

"Thanks Mulder."

"Which book?"

"I'm not sure of the title, but it was about bored children that were lured away to this house where they could do what they liked, but it was basically a prison. For some reason it chilled me to the bone. The thought of it still does."

"The Thief of Always. Barker did the illustrations as well."

"Have you read it?"

"Yeah. Scared the hell outta me too!"

They shared a smile. It was one of his favorites. She looked at him from under her lashes, her eyebrows arched slightly in the middle and her lips curved invitingly at their edges. She snuggled deeper under his coat and tried not to enjoy being wrapped in his smell too much.

"Shortly after we got back from Maine you gave me that book."

He didn't say anything and he watched her squirm under his scrutiny. She stood and took his plate. Dropping them into the sink. He helped her clear everything away and stood next to her drying the dishes in companionable silence.

"I get the feeling that I don't usually call you Dana," he said suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well every time I say it you get this look in your eyes."

"What look?"

"Kind of confused…a little sad."

She busied herself scrubbing the pan, avoiding the gaze that she could feel on her face.

"So what do I usually call you?"

"Scully. You always called me Scully."

"Would you prefer I called you Scully now?"

"I preferred you called me whatever you felt comfortable with." She dropped the pan onto the draining board and turned to face him fully, her fingers covered in suds.

"Well, if you'd like me to call you Scully I will."

"No really Mulder, what ever you want."

"And you call me Mulder?"

"Yeah."

"I suppose I insisted on that one."

"Yes you made it very clear."

"With a name like Fox can you blame me? My parents must have been insane."

She smiled a little wiping her hands on a towel she stood in the kitchen for a moment looking down at her feet. Unsure of what to do now she just waited.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?" she asked.

"Yes. But you go in and sit down, I'll make it."

He ushered her out of the room and she sat into the soft couch. Picking up the book he'd left on the table she read the inscription. He made a lot of noise in the kitchen opening and closing cupboards as he searched for what he needed.

"Do you need a hand?"

"No, stay there."

She curled her feet up under her and listened with a smile as he stirred the coffee. Carrying the two cups in he placed them both on the table. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of sunflower seeds.

"I was looking for biscuits, but this was all I could find," he said as he opened the bag and placed them between the two cups. She watched him sit back and examine a few seeds in his hands before tentatively popping one in his mouth. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he smiled.

"You like them?"

"Yeah. Strange taste, but from what I can gather, that's me all over." He noticed she wasn't eating any. "Don't you like them?"

"No. I really can't stand them." Her words were serious but they came out wrapped in laughter.

"Why do you buy them if you don't like them?"

"I didn't. You left them here last weekend." Her laughter was gone and he missed it already.

He munched away on the seeds leaving a small pile beside his coffee. She rested her head back against the couch and was surprised to find herself nodding off.

"Are you tired?" he whispered.

"I guess. I'll be fine." She forced herself up a bit and sipped her coffee.

"Why don't you take a nap? I can leave."

"No, don't go."

"To be honest with you I'd rather not go. I feel like my apartment is waiting there ready to mock me."

"Here," she passed him the TV remote. "Let TV mock you for a while." He smiled at her smirk and switched it on knowing she'd be asleep in minutes.

The day passed quietly. She had fallen asleep soon after she finished her coffee. After a valiant effort made to try to stay awake her weariness won and she gave in. He watched a Washington Wizards game and realized that he didn't just collect Knicks t-shirts but he really enjoyed the game. He refilled his coffee cup twice now and still he was looking at it empty. The TV was boring him now but he felt like he couldn't move, needing to stay close to her.

Switching it down low he turned to her. Her feet had stretched out a bit and were closer to him. She had been inching across the couch taking up more room, every time he left to get more coffee. Watching her now her features still, her face relaxed, he couldn't help but like her. From the moment she walked into the hospital room and took his hand he knew he'd like her. She was strong, intelligent, independent and so beautiful. He couldn't imagine working with her all day and not touching her. Even during the past two days he would reach out to touch her arm, or her back without need save for his own wanting.

The day's light had disappeared and he found them sitting in the dark, the room lit only by the eerie glow from the TV. He stood to switch on a lamp and as he did her feet stretched to their full length taking up his space. Her arms reached above her head and she emitted a soft moan that curled in her throat. Standing by the floor lamp, his finger hovering over the switch not wanting to break the spell and wake her fully. But then her eyes blinked slowly and he watched her search the room. They stopped on him and her face changed slightly. Was she blushing? He thought.

"Mulder."

He let his fingers press the switch and the room was bathed in a soft light. She pulled herself up on the couch and rubbed her fingers through her hair.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Two and a half hours."

"Oh god, I'm sorry."

She stood and brushed her front down. He resumed his seat on the couch and opened his mouth to speak when the phone rang. She gave him a small smile and reached to pick up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Dana. Hi."

"Mum, hi. How are you?"

"Good. Any news on Fox?"

"Yes, he was released today. He's doing much better," she glanced at him and found him still watching her.

"Any sign of his memory returning?"

"No, but it's only been a day."

"Is he there?"

"Yes. We came over for lunch."

"Can I speak to him?"

"Mum I-" she hesitated

"Dana, let me speak to him," her mothers voice was stern and she knew there was no escape. She covered the mouthpiece with one hand and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear with the other.

"It's my mother. She wants to speak to you."

Without hesitation Mulder stood and walked over to her. He took the receiver and cautiously said hello into it.

"Fox, How are you feeling?"

"Not too bad, eh, Mrs. Scully."

"Good. You had me worried for a while. I just wanted to let you know I was praying for you and I will continue to do so until you get back to 100%."

"Thank you Mrs. Scully."

"Now don't let Dana boss you around, you just relax and concentrate on healing."

"I will Mrs. Scully."

"Tell Dana goodbye from me and you two have a nice evening."

"Okay I'll tell her. Goodbye."

He replaced the phone and turned to her, unable to hide his smile. The thought that her mother was on friendly terms with him brought a warm feeling over him and he basked in its glow.

"What did she say?"

"Just that she was glad I was out of the hospital and I wasn't to let you boss me around," he said with a playful smile.

"Okay I'll do my best."

He was quiet for a moment as he stood next to her. She had taken her shoes off when the first sat down and he was only now realizing how small she was. Her head was inline with his chest and he thought how easy it would be to pull her into a hug. But before he could move his arms she stepped away as if guessing his intention and resumed her seat on the couch.

"How's your head?"

"Not too bad," he dropped down beside her, heavily letting out a deep sigh.

"Knowing you it's probably pounding. Would you like me to get you something for it?"

"Please."

She returned from the kitchen with a glass of water and a small pill that he took quickly. Grimacing he rested his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

"Tired?"

"Frustrated."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what? I don't remember anything." His voice was harsh but he couldn't help it.

"So what do you remember?"

"That the cheetah is the fastest land mammal. That I once broke my leg jumping off a cliff into a lake a quarry. That Capricorn One is one of my favorite movies."

"Well it's a start."

"It's nothing. I don't even know that movie. It's like I've never seen it."

"Look Mulder, You have to relax-,"

"If I relax any more I'm going to keel over dead. I need to do something. I need to be busy."

"You have to take it easy. Your shoulder is still raw, your head can't take it."

"I don't care but this sitting around waiting for stuff to happen…I can't do it."

"You never could."

"Come on Dana, you have no idea how frustrating it is…I have this vacuum in my brain, it's void of all my thoughts, my memories."

"I do know how it feels."

He shifted his head on the couch so he could see her and looked at her oddly. She was fiddling with a bit of fluff on her jeans, avoiding his gaze at all costs.

"What do you mean?"

"A couple of years ago I was abducted…I was missing for three months. I have no recollection of what happened. I doubt I ever will." Her voice was low and as she spoke he sat up to look at her fully. His body turned towards her and one of his arms rested along the back of the couch. His finger brushed against her shoulder and she looked up to him. He was surprised to see a cluttering of tears collecting in her eyes and she blinked quickly to get rid of them but they fell regardless.

"Dana, I'm sorry." He rested his hand fully on her shoulder and reached over to dry her tears with his thumb. She brushed his hand away and rubbed her face with both of her hands. But he moved closer on the couch and placed his arm around her shoulders fully, pulling her against him. "We're some pair," he said squeezing her closer still.

She couldn't help but laugh with him. Letting her go, she sat back into the couch, lifting her feet onto the table. He copied her movements and the shared a quick smile.

"I don't know about you but I could do with a drink," he said.

"You probably shouldn't until the medication washes from your system."

"Surely with my Dr Scully right here beside me there'd be no problem? Beside I get the feeling that I'm the type of guy who enjoyed playing doctors and nurses!"

"I suppose one glass of wine wouldn't do any harm." She retrieved a small bottle of white wine from the kitchen and two glasses.

"So tell me about our lives." he said as he poured the wine.

"Yeah, that should be easy." She took the glass and sat back again.

"Come on surely you have some good stories for me."

"One or two."

***

Agent Simpson spotted her as she climbed the steps into the FBI headquarters. He hurried after her and called out her name, catching her attention as she stood by the door.

"Good morning Agent Simpson."

"You know I've been working at the FBI for over twenty-three years and I'll never get used to people calling me Agent Simpson. Call me Jack." He held the door open for her and she swept by with a smile. Closer now he could see that she looked tired but having survived a twenty-year marriage he knew better than to comment.

"How is Mulder doing?"

"He was released yesterday but he is still struggling with his memory."

"I can only imagine how difficult it is for him. Mind you after the weekend I just had a little memory lapse wouldn't hurt."

"Tough one?" she asked smiling as they stepped onto the elevator. She liked Agent Simpson and relaxed in his company. He had worked with Mulder in the VCU and held no water to the gossip, having dealt with him on a first hand basis. He respected Mulder for the work he had done and the ability he had proven.

"I guess I brought too much work home with me and I still kept rushing back here. Let's just say my wife didn't appreciate it. You're one of the lucky ones Ms. Scully, having escaped that particular trap."

They stepped off the elevator and made their way to the center table of the bullpen where Agent Watters was waiting for them. His suit was somewhat disheveled and his face unshaven but neither of them commented. "Agents Reilly and Salmon are at Riker's trying to see if any other connections can be made from that angle."

Scully and Simpson exchanged a quick glance before sitting at the table. Watters remained standing his hands gripping the back of a chair tightly as he leaned over it.

"I think I may have found something." Simpson rummaged through his case as he looked for the right files, muffling his voice as he did. "Professor Mark Wilde from C.S.U was arrested in 1963. He was head of the Biology department at the time. And would have been one of Carson's Lecturers."

"What was he arrested for?" Watters asked impatiently.

"Miss appropriation of funds."

"How does that come into it?"

"He had been using the money to support a private lab that had been researching genetic manipulation. It is reported that he was working on a hybrid technology that could remove the powerful or defensive attributes of one animal and grow them on another."

"What do you mean?" Scully asked.

"Venom sacks from a rattle snake on a tiger."

"In 1963 our knowledge of genetic material and makeup was no way near that advanced," she countered.

"It still isn't," Simpson finished for her.

"What has this to do with Carson?"

"Sir we have a DNA sample from Carson dated 1961. And with hair that was found in the police vehicle on Friday we could compare them. We found a huge discrepancy." He passed out the two files he had been nervously shuffling from one hand to the other. Holding up his own chart so they could see where he was pointing he continued.

"There are numerous differences in the makeup. Our DNA is like a fingerprint sir, it cannot change unless put through some sort of mutation or combined with another." He looked at them both. "But as I said earlier this is not possible on a genetic level. While donors can be found compatible for organs from complete strangers, DNA is so much more complicated."

"What is the other DNA?" Scully asked her anxious voice betraying her cool exterior.

"Amphibian."

"What? Amphibian?" she exclaimed.

"I had them do it over and over but always the same results." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as if unsure he wanted to continue. "I think the boys in the lab thought I was pulling a fast one."

"What does this mean?" Watters asked his head swirling around the medical words, unable to believe what he'd just heard.

"It means that with help from Professor Wilde and with the use of other Genetic specialists-,"

"John Markus," Scully interrupted.

"We could have found a conceivable explanation as to how Carson managed to gain entry to the galleries."

"I don't understand."

"One of the technicians at the lab spoke last night, about how this amphibian DNA could give Carson the ability to cling to objects by the use of gripping muscles on his fingers and knees."

His words were met with silence. Scully had been in many of these silences, usually after Mulder had explained one of his theories to a crowd. But by Simpson's small uncomfortable movements she could tell he wasn't use to being the lead in such unbelievable concepts.

"Well." she watched Watters mind go through the possibility of signing a report to that affect and his frown deepened. "If we can talk to this professor we'll be a lot further on."

"I have an address for him. He is living here in Washington. Arlington road to be exact."

"Okay, report back as soon as possible."

Watters turned and all but ran from the room as Scully and Simpson gathered their files.

"I'd like to accompany you out to Arlington."

"You don't need to do that."

"No, I'd like to. Keep busy, you know?"

"Of course. Lets go then."

***

Mulder lay stretched out on his couch. His bare feet hung out over the edge of the armrest. The TV silently flooded the room with pictures of an old war movie, but his eyes were on the basketball that he threw repeatedly into the air, catching it against his chest as he tried to ignore the pain in his head. She had invaded his dreams and his thoughts and he made no effort to evict her, relishing the exquisite mixture of pain and pleasure she brought to him.

They had talked throughout the whole night as she regaled him with case stories, some of which he couldn't believe, finishing off one bottle of wine and opening another. She ordered Chinese food and they sat and ate in silence in her living room. He sat low to the floor by her legs as she rested her dinner on her knees. He managed to rest his shoulder against her leg during the meal and scorned himself for acting like a teenager with a crush.

After she stifled another yawn he stood, declaring it was time for him to leave. She protested but he insisted. A decision he later came to curse. She offered him the couch but again he declined, knowing he had to face his apartment sooner or later. Another decision he later cursed.

Standing in her doorway he couldn't help but pull her into a tight embrace. With one hand holding her head to his chest the other held her body close to his. Her arms reached up his back and she held him too. He kissed the top of her hair unaware of how often he'd made that exact same gesture and walked away. That final decision he cursed the most.

Now lying in the stranger's apartment he wondered where he might get some breakfast. He'd dashed into his bedroom through the dark last night unable to face the apartment he was supposed to call home. But with the brightness of day came the harshness of his situation. The cupboards were bare and he was hungry.

He dressed quickly and searched for money or keys. A small dish by his PC held both. Sitting on his bed as he tied his laces he found his FBI badge and looked longingly at the picture. It was all beyond his reach. Throwing the badge across the room he stormed out of the building, with only a slight hesitation as to which direction to take he walked on, hoping he'd remember his way back.

Hours later as he slipped his key into his apartment door he couldn't hold back the huge smile that covered his face. A swell of pride washed over him as he stepped inside, but it was all too quickly dispelled when the silence that met him became plain.

"Good one Fox, you went shopping," he admonished himself.

He pulled the fridge open and placed the groceries in without unpacking, his appetite gone, he made his way back to the couch and resumed his earlier position. He wanted to call her but he knew she'd be working. He wanted to talk to her but he knew she'd be busy. He wanted to hold her but he knew…he knew he didn't usually so he probably shouldn't.

"Dana Scully," he said aloud. "Fox Mulder, you fool."

***

The interrogation seemed fruitless and both Simpson and Scully were silent on the drive back to the head quarters. He glanced over at her but with her elbow resting on the door holding her head he left her to her thoughts. Traveling through the city in this rush hour traffic gave him plenty of time to watch her. He'd worked with her on different cases and had never seen her so down hearted. He knew of her reputation as a pathologist and had experienced her investigation skills first hand but here she seemed beaten. A bad sign for an agent so young. He'd seen it before in older agents who didn't leave the VCU in time and he could see it, although more pronounced, in Agent Watters.

"I guess we are no closer now than we were this morning."

"No." Her voice was as distant as her thoughts so he gave up.

As they walked into the bullpen Agent Salmon who was loaded down with pizza boxes met them. Simpson took a few from him and followed him to the table.

"Taking in an all-nighter?" Simpson asked

"We have a list of names longer than the inquisition," Reilly said as he took a bite.

"I'm sure a lot of them are just time wasters but you know that way it is. The ones you don't check will end up being the ones you need to check again!"

"Do you guys need a hand?" Scully asked.

"No don't worry about it. I heard you guys had a terrible time up in Arlington today."

"Okay, well don't work too hard," Simpson said with a wave as he left the room.

"Go on Agent Scully," Reilly said as he noticed her hesitation to leave. "Take yourself home and we'll see you tomorrow." She forced a smile and left.

In her apartment she found the mess she hoped would magically have been cleared had been left for her. Tiredly she recycled the empty wine bottles and threw away the Chinese rubbish before slipping into the shower. She thought of ringing Mulder but decided to give him some room. Maybe he needed to reacquaint himself with his surroundings before she trespassed all over them. Her fingers rinsed through her hair as she lathered in the shampoo and she could feel her body relaxing against the hot downpour of water. Dressed in a pair of cotton pyjama bottoms and an old Knicks t-shirt Mulder had given her one night for a change of clothes after getting soaked by the rain, she sank low into the couch sipping on a hot cup of milk. Her laptop lay unopened on the coffee table but she was refusing to answer its call.

The doorbell rang loudly and unexpectedly, although if she was honest with her self she had been secretly hoping it would all night. Her body had become lazy and with some effort she padded barefoot to the door. A quick look through the spy hole showed her Mulder standing there, anxiously looking up and down the hallways outside her apartment. She opened the door and smiled.

When he saw her standing there in a large Knicks t-shirt that he somehow knew had once belonged to him, his heart stopped. Her hair was falling around her face, the tips of it still wet and leaving small drops on her shoulders. For a moment he stood there saying nothing and she opened the door wider to let him in. He stood awkwardly inside the door, unable to take his eyes off her. A faint smell of soap and a sweet perfumed moisturizer clung to her and he inhaled deeply, trying to get closer.

"Hey," he said his eyes traveling unashamedly over her body.

"Hi Mulder. I was just sitting down with some hot chocolate, would you like a cup?"

"Sure." He sat on the couch managing to pull his eyes away and waited for her to return. She held out the cup and he took it, leaning back for her to step over his legs and fall in beside him.

"So how was your day?" her tiredness forgotten she tried to stop smiling but found that she couldn't.

"God awfully boring. You?"

"Pretty useless."

"Case not going well?"

"It's just we seem to be running into a lot of dead ends. And today Agent Simpson talked about this theory…I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about that."

"No really, I don't mind."

"No, it's okay. I'd rather forget about work anyway. So what did you do all day?"

"I went out and did a bit of shopping. I snooped around my apartment trying to find out about the real Fox Mulder."

"Find anything interesting?" she heard the light tone in his voice but she could feel the tension in his body.

"Interesting, no. Confusing, yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know but I guess I felt weird about going through this guy’s - my stuff. Recognizing nothing, feeling nothing. In the whole place I found only two photos. That's one of the reasons I stopped by. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't. You are welcome here any time."

"Thanks Dana." Their eyes met for a second and Mulder wondered if that spark was in them when she looked at him before the accident. "This one…well I know it's you and me!"

He passed her a photo of the two of them standing against the Washington monument. Both of them were dressed casually and she was laughing. Her head was thrown back in that carefree gesture that she usually reserved for family only. His arm was lightly draped around her shoulders and he was smiling triumphantly. Both of them were unaware that a photo was being taken, as if only they existed.

"We were on a stakeout would you believe," she said smiling softly, her fingers brushing over the two happy figures. "Undercover watching someone who was allegedly selling information to Middle Eastern spies. I can't remember what you had just said," she lied, "but this guy took our picture and sold it to you for $5."

He didn't speak enjoying the array of emotions that played with her face. Her smile was broad and a quiet bubbling laugh escaped before she could stop it.

"What about this one?"

He passed her the photo she'd known he would. It was him and Samantha. Leaning against a tree that he said had been outside his parent's summer home. Both young children unaware of the horrors that were about to ruin their lives. Scully's smile faded and she turned to Mulder who was watching her expectantly.

"That's you and your sister, Samantha."

"My sister?" He took the photos back and looked closer.

"Jesus I never thought about my family. Where is she? Can we go see her? What about my parents?"

She reached over and took his hand. Holding it firmly she took a deep breath before continuing.

"Your parents are dead. Your father was shot three years ago and your mother died last summer."

"Oh my god, what about Samantha?" The shock on his face was immeasurable.

Unsure of how to continue, Scully faltered. The words escaped her. She saw the expression on his face and she knew he was waiting for an answer but it wouldn't come out.

"Back in 1991 I was assigned to you by AD Blevins, to undermine your work. Your belief in extra terrestrial life forms was some what a joke in the bureau and basically they wanted me to debunk your work so that you'd leave."

"Yeah Dana, you told me this story."

"Well when I first met you, you were the most arrogant and self important person I'd known and you didn't seem to care." Her words seemed harsh but she said them with a smile. "We were investigating the deaths of these teenagers who all shared these marks on the lower part of their backs. Later that night I was taking a bath and I found some, these two small lumps right there," she put her hand around to her back to show him where. "I went in to show you and they turned out to be mosquito bites."

"Mosquito bites?"

"I must have been bitten while we were out in the woods. It was a bit embarrassing really. I was so scared." This time her voice tried to be light but its slight quiver rang in his ears. "I practically ran into your room and stripped in front of you to show you what I'd found." A blush crept up into her pale cheeks and he smiled, wishing he could remember that particular night. "Well I was really scared and you invited me to stay a while, so while we were talking I must have answered all your questions right because you told me the story about Samantha." She paused. His eyes were half closed and he looked at her from beneath his thick lashes. He was sure the story wasn't going to have a happy ending or she would have told him straight instead of buttering him up like this.

"What happened?" his voice was low but he needed to hear it.

"The summer when you were twelve, your sister and you were at home alone. Someone…something attacked the house. You said that you remembered a bright light and something pulling your sister from the room. You tried to get your fathers gun but you couldn't. You were twelve and scared out of your wits. You froze and they took your sister. You haven't seen or heard from her since."

As she explained about the FBI search for Samantha and how no contact for ransom was ever made his eyes widened, at first showing astonishment, then reverting into anger. Scully tired to explain the impact it had on his life and how it tore his family apart but the details all seemed so trivial when they were void of the tormented emotions he usually displayed when talking about it.

"Oh my god." He sat forward on the couch and held the photo out in front of him so he could see it better in the dim light.

"Mulder, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just a bit…shocked."

She sat forward with him and placed a hand on his back making small circular motions from the base of it and carrying it on up to his shoulders. He leaned into her hand and enjoyed the gentle sensations.

"I know I should be feeling something but…I got nothing. I don't remember any of this. I don't feel a loss or anything."

"And that's making you angry," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yes."

He stood up and began to pace the small room making it feel even smaller. His hands naturally found his hips as he walked and she could almost imagine he was back. With one hand reaching up into his hair he slammed his fist down onto the tabletop wincing as a sharp pain ran up into his shoulder.

"Dammit," he muttered grabbing it and flexing it around.

"Mulder," she stood up and walked over to him. "Why don't you come into the office tomorrow?" His eyes shot down to hers. She stood in front of him barefoot and again he marveled at how small she was. Again the urge to grab her into a hug rippled through him but he stepped back and leaned against the table.

"Do you think I should?"

"Would you rather spend the day at home waiting for your memory to return?"

"No…but I don't know if I'm ready." She rested against the table beside him.

"Well the office does seem kind of big without you. Cleaner, but defiantly bigger!" Nudging him with her shoulder he smiled.

"Tomorrow…yes, I think I would like to go in."

"Great. I'll pick you up at 7.45am."

"Damn, that is early. I'd better get going," he said but he made no move to leave. Looking down at her slim body leaning against the table, her arms folded across the chest and watching him back he couldn't move. Her smile faded when she saw the look in his eyes. She couldn't breakaway but she knew she had to or…or something was going to happen. She thought that if he didn't make it then she probably would.

He nudged her back and watched her blue eyes darken. Shimmering like a pool in the moonlight he decided it was time. He leaned in closer his eyes flicking to her lips as her tongue darted out to lick them and her breath caught in her throat. He glanced at her eyes and saw a brief wave of fear spark into them. The motion that he had been making for her lips diverted slightly and he kissed her cheek. Catching the edge of her mouth he pressed his lips lightly against her. Her eyes fluttered closed and she was sure that he could hear her heart beating; its erratic sound screaming in her head.

When he pulled away a cold breeze of air rushed across her face. He smiled at the sight of her with her head slightly bent and her eyes closed over. They opened slowly and she saw him watching her. A little cough to clear her throat did nothing to dispel the heat she could feel on her cheeks. But he looked away affording her the small amount of privacy he could. She reached up and pulled her hair out of her face, looked down to her feet.

"I better go. Early start."

"Okay," she said still not looking up. When he didn't move she glanced up and their eyes locked.

"Thanks Dana. For talking. For telling me the truth."

"No problem." Her voice was barely a whisper but he could feel her discomfort so he walked over to the door. As he opened it he turned and was surprised to see her standing so close, her footsteps unheard. "Goodnight."

Without a second thought he hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. Stepping out of the apartment he clicked the door closed behind him and leant against it. His headache was pounding but it did nothing to chase away the elation that coursed through him. When he kissed her he could feel the electricity. Even though their bodies hadn't been touching and at the last minute he strayed away from her lips he felt her quiver against him and all it did was make him want more.

On the other side of the door Scully rested her head, thoughts of his kiss cycling around in her head. She could still feel heat on the spot where his lips had pressed onto her face. Her fingers strayed up to touch it and she smiled. She was sure he was going to kiss her and wondered why he settled for her cheek. Her blush rose again as she walked into her bedroom and climbed into the bed. Checking that the alarm was set properly she snuggled deeper and let out a contented sigh. Back to work with Mulder tomorrow she thought. It won't be long now.

***

The impressive Hoover Building loomed over them as they drove by in the slow morning traffic. His sleepless night had been racked with thoughts of their almost kiss, as he relived the soft caress of her breath on his cheek and the expression on her face when he watched her for a moment with her eyes closed. When he opened the door to her this morning he had to busy himself with his tie to keep himself from pushing her against the wall and completing the move he began the night before.

"Having trouble?" she said as he struggled to fasten an acceptable knot in the dark red tie.

You have no idea, he thought but looked up and said, "The damn thing won't bloody work."

She stepped closer and pushed his hands down. Her fingers slid around his collar to lift it high and she straightened the tie before pulling it into a perfect knot. After fixing his shirt she stood back to admire her work and smiled.

"Perfect."

"Where did you learn that?" he asked loosening it a bit and slipping on his suit jacket.

"Two brothers and a father, not to mention a childhood in catholic schools with uniforms."

"You in a school girls uniform? Now that I'd like to see!"

"In your dreams."

"So, how do I look?" he asked and twirled in front of her. He was wearing a black suit with a crisp white shirt and a plain deep red almost wine tie.

"Like an FBI Agent."

"Dammit, I was going for CIA!"

His humor disappeared with the clear roads as they quickly became encased in rush hour traffic that seemed to be sucking all the good thoughts from him. He glanced over at her to see her calmly watching the road waiting for the cars to move. He liked what she was wearing, black trousers with a pale blue short sleeved blouse. He noticed her jacket was hung up against the back seat window but he couldn't help but picture her in nothing but his old Knicks t-shirt. Her hair was still down and he wondered what it would feel like to run his hands through it. Looking into her face he saw that she was watching him and he'd been caught studying her.

"Is the traffic always this bad?" he asked looking away and loosening his tie even more, opening the top button of his shirt.

"Sometimes."

"I'm beginning to think I should have stayed at home."

The car park was below the building and he looked around in wonder at the rows of matching cars. She parked the car quickly and they both stepped out. As she fit on her jacket and fastened her badge to the breast pocket he fixed his tie.

The elevator ride to the ground floor was quick and he followed her down the hall towards the security check. He copied her as she held out her badge for inspection.

"Hey Mulder, did you catch the Wizards game on Sunday?" one of the guards called as he stepped through the metal detector. Mulder turned to see and older man smiling at him, obviously unaware of his situation.

"Yeah, quite a score."

"Do you wanna let it ride?"

"What?"

"The $20 you owe me, you know the Knicks are coming to town next weekend!"

"Sure…let it ride. With the Knicks in town I'll get it back twice over."

"Yeah Mulder, that's why I like betting with you," the guard turned away laughing heartily.

Scully watched the exchange carefully, ready to step in if he needed her to but he handled it fine. He turned back to her, the smile still on his face.

"That was weird," he said.

"No Mulder, you always lose money to Gerry. And with the Knicks, you'll lose more."

He caught the gleam in her eyes and loved to see it. Her easy mood and playful banter calmed his nerves as they made their way to the south elevator.

"Basement office?" he said smiling, as she pressed the floor button. "I thought you said they didn't like me?"

She knew he was making jokes to calm his nerves and his hands wouldn't stay still. They danced from his hips to his hair and to his pockets. As she unlocked the door to the office she stood back to let him enter first. One hand rested on his hip while the other rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's do it."

He pushed open the door and fumbled for the light. The first thing he saw was the huge poster that was tacked to the wall behind his desk. A wide smile spread across his face as he walked closer and saw all the cut outs and photos that were stuck to the notice board. His desk was, much like his one at home, a clutter of papers, files and his PC was covered in yellow post-it notes reminding him to collect lunch or pick up Scully at the morgue.

The filing cabinets that lined the back wall caught his eye next and he pulled one open to see it lined with folders that had red lined edges. He moved his fingers through them and removed one at random.

"X-213-0089, Status Incomplete," he read.

"Welcome to the X-Files," she said.

"There are a lot of incomplete files in here," he said as he flicked through more of them.

"They date back to the early 1900's and I've only been working here for a few years!"

He laughed out loud. Loud enough to surprise her but she loved to hear it. He turned in time to catch her smile before she put it away. Sitting into her desk she switched on her PC.

"Are you working on the Carson case?"

"Yes. I've got to be up in Skinner’s office in half an hour to report progress."

She watched him wander into the back room his hands idly running over different objects. He finally made his way back to his own desk and his long fingers reached out for the basketball that had been staying in his in tray. A rustle of paper beneath his feet made him look down to see a folder spilled out on the floor. Picking it up he read the post it asking for Scully's signature.

"Here, did you see this?" he asked as he walked over to her desk holding it out.

"Yeah. Agent Watters left it for me." She leafed through the small file and set it onto her desk. "It's a report on your accident last Friday. He needs me to sign it to verify his account." Her voice was steady but he could tell she was making an effort to keep it that way.

"Can I read it?"

She paused for a moment before handing it over to him. He returned to his desk and dropped the ball back into its in tray. From the corner of her eyes she watched him, his eyes moving quickly over the text. She'd already read it and although it was an accurate account of the accident, it didn't speak of the horror she felt watching him fall, or the panic that rose up in her stomach when she found his blood. It was clinical and precise making it an excellent report but void of these emotions she thought it would be harder for him to read. He needed to know that he wasn't alone when he lay bleeding on the road, that she traveled with him to the hospital and waited for him. He needed to know that he wasn't alone.

Silently she stood away from her desk and approached him. He'd closed the file over as he finished reading and she leaned against his desk, her knee barely touching his.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. It's strange to read of the account of what happened, but having no cognitive memory of the event."

"Not yet anyway."

"Are you always so optimistic?" he said smiling, bumping her leg with his own.

"No, but I have faith. In you."

"I wish I did."

They sat in silence for a moment before she moved away. She printed off some pages from her PC and gathered them into her case.

"I have to go to the meeting. Would you like to join us?"

"No, I'd only be in the way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'd rather not speak with anyone right now. I don't think I could face the questions."

"Okay…well I shouldn't be too long."

"It's okay Dana, don't worry, I have a lot of reading to get through," he said throwing his thumb over his shoulder to the cabinets behind him and wearing a crooked smile.

He could hear her heels clicking towards the lift at the end of the hall and even the tinny ding as it arrived. He rested his hands flat on the desk moving the mouse as he did and the PC screen came to life. It opened up on his email page. He clicked on the RECEIVE ALL button and waited for the 5 messages to download fully. Glancing at the door with a feeling like he was prying he tried to sit still. Two of them were from the building security about lights that had been left on in the car park. One was from Scully dated from last Friday about what they were going to do for lunch. The last two were from anonymous senders with no return address.

After reading through the mails about latest UFO sightings and Crop Circles he smiled at the lone gunmen logo on the bottom of each letter. A little laugh escaped when he remembered that day when they visited them in hospital. They had swept him into a chair and brought him down to the canteen explaining about hospital conspiracies along the way. He could never imagine Fox Mulder, FBI Agent being friends with these men all so different, but Dana had told him stories to the contrary.

Another taste of the unknown. Guessing wrong about what type of man he was supposed to be. Trying to imagine how he was supposed to react. Dana kept telling him to just work with his instincts because he was Fox Mulder and his reactions would be the same. But it was so hard. Everywhere he looked he could see reminders of the man he was supposed to be. Accolades on the wall screamed of an education he didn't have. Reports he'd signed held facts he couldn't recall. Posters and clippings on the wall displayed passions and beliefs he had no convictions in.

A sudden ball of anger welled up from the pit of his stomach and before he could stop himself, his arm swept along the desktop clearing it of its contents. He reached for his nameplate and threw it across the room, breaking a pane of glass as it smashed against one of the few windows the room had.

Unable to bear the close confines of the Mulder-infested Room, he bolted. Curious glances were afforded to him as he all but ran from the building into the cool morning air. He needed to escape. Go somewhere he hadn't been before. With a laugh he realized he had no idea where he had or hadn't been. Looking around at the traffic at an almost standstill, he quickly crossed the road and disappeared in to the morning crowds.

***

"No sir," Agent Simpson said, "We had no luck in Arlington yesterday. He wouldn't speak but I know he was hiding something. Maybe if we could get him down here for questioning.or get a warrant-,"

"I don't really see any one approving a warrant to search the professor's house when we tell them our theory," Agent Watters all but shouted drawing the attention of the small crowd. Agents Scully, Watters, Simpson, Reilly and Salmon sat at the conference table in Skinners office. Skinner walked behind them, almost pacing the room. He was listening to the progress reports from each individual Agent and was trying desperately to curb his frustration.

"Agent Watters that is enough," he said sharply. "I understand that Agent Reilly and Salmon have a list of possible associates."

"Yes sir," Agent Reilly handed out a copy of the small list to each agent and sat again. "From the list of names that we collected from talking to other inmates and guards, and checking the visitations each prisoner received we have compiled this short list of people that might be involved."

"Good work."

"We are trying to get locations for them all but so far we have address for only half of them. Five without even parole officers and the rest we are still working on."

"Good. Get back in touch with Burns' team and lets see if we can't get this case moving any quicker."

The Agents took that as their cue that the meeting was over and stood to leave. Skinner walked over to where Scully stood fixing her files and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Can I speak with you a minute?"

She finished packing her case and sat down again waiting for the room to clear before Skinner could talk. He pulled out a chair beside her and sat next to her his arms on his knees he sat forward.

"Did I see you walking in with Agent Mulder this morning?"

"Yes sir. He came in to take a look at the office to see if it jogs anything."

"Did it?"

"No. No sir, it didn't."

"How is he coping?"

She thought for a moment wondering if she should honestly speak of Mulder's struggle but when she looked up to Skinner she didn't have to say anything.

"How about you?" he asked but before she could reply with her customary I'm fine he continued. "I understand your wish to continue with this case Agent Scully but it is obviously taking its toll."

"Sir if you're going to ask me to take time off-," she began.

"No I'm going to advise you. That's all. Advise from a friend."

"I appreciate your concern sir, but I'd rather continue working," she said flatly.

"Okay." He watched her for a minute before standing.

"That will be all."

She quickly left and rushed back to the basement office. Finding the door ajar and stepping in she audibly gasped at the sight before her.

"Mulder?" she called tentatively. She carefully stepped through the mess and put her belongings down on her desk. After lifting a few pages she stood back and heard a crunching under her feet. The broken glass lay in chunks and looking up she could see the small window he'd broken. She bent down to pick up a few pieces of glass, but dropped them as a sliver ran along the bottom of her palm slicing it up neatly. "Dammit." she said aloud.

She searched for the first aid kit but the wound continued to bleed telling her a few stitches would be required. However unlike Mulder she didn't have a medical physician on hand at all times so she resigned her self to a quick trip to the emergency room. After calling the janitor about the broken window, she gathered her things and left. While stuck in traffic she called Mulder's apartment and left a message. She knew he wouldn't be there but she just needed to be sure.

The ER was relatively quiet but before she could speak to the receptionist she heard someone calling her name. Turning she saw Dr Tracy Lawrence approach her, a wide smile on her face.

"Dana, what have you done this time?"

"Hi Tracy. Just a small cut from broken glass. A couple of stitches should do it."

"And you came all the way down here?" she said smiling as she led Scully into a small room. Scully sat on the bed as Tracy located out a suture kit before sitting next to her on a high stool. "The Dana Scully I worked with would have tacked this together Rambo style and continued about her daily business. Too distracted by that gorgeous partner of yours, I'd say!"

Scully smiled but it was all an effort. She winced at the sharp pinch from the local anesthetic.

"Where is he today?"

"Working."

"Ahh the age of chivalry is dead in today's men. Where have all the good ones gone Dana?"

"I don't know Tracy, I don't know."

Later that day Scully sat in the basement office, her neck being caressed by the breeze that came in through the broken window. One of the janitors had cleared away all the glass and had left the pages piled on her desk in no order. She had sorted most of them out but she knew she was simply hanging around waiting for Mulder to call her. Finally at 6pm she couldn't take it anymore and she packed up her case and left.

Sitting in traffic as the anesthetic started to wear off, she could feel the small stinging sensation returning to her palm. She ran her fingers over the small bandage and could feel the stitches. A loud blare from a cars horn told her the lights had turned green and she took off. The sight of her familiar building brought more than a little relief. Having already left two messages for Mulder to call her she struggled not to drive directly to his apartment. But decided against it, giving him the room he needed. She often told him he had to be patient and now it was time for her test, a test she knew she would fail if he didn't contact her soon.

She pulled into a space and collected her things from the back of the car. Juggling her case and coat she managed to open the door to her apartment and immediately dropped them onto her kitchen table. Her hand reached up to her hair where they pulled her hair away from her face but she froze when she saw the upturned mug on her washboard. Having rushed out that morning she didn't have time for coffee. A soft rustling of clothes behind her made her whip round her hand automatically reaching for her gun as she told herself an intruder would have made coffee and certainly wouldn't have cleaned up after it. As she stepped cautiously into the living room she spotted Mulder lying, asleep on the couch.

Her whole body relaxed and she re-holstered her gun as she stepped around the couch and bent down by his head. She could see the damp streaks where his tears had fallen and her hand reached out to brush away his hair, but she found her fingers gently touching his cheek. She collected a blanket form the hot press and draped it over him. Unsure of how he made it to her apartment or how he had gained entry she was just glad he was here and safe.

She showered quickly and changed into a pair of soft cotton black trousers and a red top. He was still sleeping when she brought her coffee into the living room and set up her laptop on the low table in front of him. Settling herself on the floor by his chest she took another quick look at his sleeping form before getting to work.

Later that evening he woke to the rhythmic tapping of her fingers on the keys and his eyes fluttered open. The room was dark save for the glow from her screen. He watched her silently for a moment. He wouldn't be able to watch her if she knew he was awake. Her hair was up into a high ponytail exposing her long neck and before he could stop himself his fingers reached out and gently touched her neck causing her to jump a little in surprise.

"Mulder, you're awake!" she said, her voice barely a whisper. She turned her head but his hand didn't move and his fingers gently brushed around her shoulder and stopped on her collarbone.

"Hi," he said his hand still touching her and his thumb gently rubbing small circles into her soft skin.

"What happened? Where did you go?" She moved away from his reach unable to concentrate with the sweet sensations he was creating. She sat on the edge of the low table and leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees.

"I left," he said plainly. He sat up slowly and entangled his legs in the blanket. He rubbed his face with both hands and hoped she didn't notice the damp streaks he could feel beneath his fingers.

"Why?" she pushed.

"I couldn't take it Dana. Sitting in that room, reading files I'd written, looking at things for the first time that had me stamped all over them but, it's not me anymore. I can't be that Fox Mulder."

"You don't have to be…you only have to be yourself."

"Yeah, follow my instincts? Well I did. And my instincts told me to get the hell outta there."

"What are you afraid of?" she asked her voice suddenly becoming angry.

"Afraid? I'm terrified…of failing. Of not living up to anyone's…to your expectations."

"My expectations are for you to be honest. That's all I want from you. And if that means telling me to mind my own business and leaving you alone-...I'm already alone," his voice was soft and had she not seen his lips moving she might have thought she imagined it.

"You're not alone."

"From what I can see I have no family left, my friends consist of three men that I would consider institutionalizing and you."

"Mulder-," she began but he cut her off.

"I couldn't remember my address." He pulled the blanket from his legs and piled it on the couch beside him. "I couldn't remember my address so I came here. The cab ride cost $30. I was sitting on your doorstep for about an hour before this old guy came."

She watched him speaking. Not wanting to interrupt she let him continue and wondered briefly when he started crying.

"He called me Mulder and asked if you and I had had a fight," he smiled, catching her eyes for a second before they returned to his hands. "I said I'd forgotten my key and he let me in. He said he was the super and he wasn't supposed to let people into the apartments but because it was me he'd make an exception."

"Mr. Reynolds - you saved his cat last summer, he's taken a liking to you."

"Well I got here about lunch time and I've been sitting here, thinking…I guess I fell asleep. I didn't think you'd mind."

His voice had become somewhat detached and his eyes wavered from her face to his hands. His nervous composure scared her, having only seen Mulder like this on very few occasions she wasn't sure how to react.

"Of course I don't mind. I was worried about you." She took his hands in hers. "I was relieved to see you."

“You are the most puzzling one of all," he said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" her brow furrowed slightly at his words.

"You are the one that scares me the most." His hands tightened on hers and he looked up at her, a newfound bravery welling up inside him as he spoke, "I don't know what type of relationship we had, I don't know what kind of friendship we had, but I can't help but feel like I want something more."

"More?" Her mind couldn't process his simple words quick enough and before she could say anything else, he pulled her closer still holding her hands between them and kissed her.

Her surprise quickly faded as his warmth sank through her body and exploded in her chest catching her breath. He felt her move her head to the side and took his cue to deepen the kiss. Letting one of her hands go he reached around her back to pull her closer still but the shrill ring from the phone cracked through their spell. She slowly pulled away from him and with only a quick glance in his direction, she dashed to catch the phone.

"Hello," she said standing with her back to him her breathing uneven.

"Scully, it's Jack Simpson, we have a situation going on down here. Carson is cornered at the gallery, we need all units to respond."

"I'll be right there."

She hung up the phone and turned to see him still sitting in the same position with a small smile on his face.

"I have to go."

"Yeah I heard."

Unable to explain and unsure if she wanted to, she dashed into her room and changed into a pair of jeans and threw on a sweater. She carried her boots into the living room and sat in the chair across from him. He still hadn't moved and she glanced at him as she tied her laces.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'll go-."

"No," she said quickly, "Please stay. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Are you sure?" he asked his lips curving into a smile.

"Yes."

Before rational thought could creep into her head and wipe out all of her impulses, she walked over to him and lifted his face up. She pressed a kiss against his lips and hated pulling away but did so before the hand he reached up to her waist convinced her to stay. She didn't speak as she gathered her gun and badge and turned to him only as she stood in the open doorway. His smile was inviting so she left quickly before she answered it.

***

The blue and red police lights lit up the street eerily. Crowds had gathered but the cops had managed to cordon off a wide area outside the gallery. She showed her badge and a young officer held up the strip of yellow police tape to let her through. Looking around the official area she spotted Jack crouched behind his open car door. She kept down as she rushed over to him. He saw her approaching and turned to sit down and face her.

"Welcome to the show," he said when she landed beside him.

"What's going on?"

"Carson has Reilly hostage in the gallery."

"How did that happen?"

"Reilly and Salmon were going through the list of names and they were going door to door. They knocked on the right door and found the hideout. Salmon was shot. In the face. Point Blank."

"Oh my god." her hand flew up to her mouth. "What about Reilly?"

"He's been beat up pretty bad, but he managed to sneak out a call to Watters. There are four of them. They're held up in the original room Carson tried to break into but they've covered the windows with paintings."

"No way through?"

"Not without the city getting million dollar bills from the gallery."

"What about weapons?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Twenty minutes ago she was kissing Mulder. Kissing Mulder. And now she was ducked behind a gray ford Taurus formulating a plan of attack on a museum with another agent dead. Not quite the way she thought her first kiss with Mulder would go, but then she should have known that nothing would be simple between them.

"Reilly says they each have semi-automatics, dual handguns and one of them is loaded down with grenades."

"Jesus Christ."

"Nowhere for that building to go except up."

"What about Watters?"

"Well, that's kind of why I called you."

"What is it Jack?"

"Carson made a call out to Watters about an hour ago."

"What did he ask for?"

"Mulder."

"Mulder? Why?"

"He says he wants to speak to the Agent that got into his head to do the profile. He won't talk to anyone else. Watters wants to bring Mulder in but Skinner won't let him."

"Where are they?"

"Over in the SWAT van."

She saw the tall navy blue van across the road and rushed over to it. Banging heavily on the door it swung open and she stepped in. Skinner and Watters stood toe to toe and turned in time to see her step up.

"Scully." Skinner took a step closer to her.

"You can't do this Watters. I won't let you." There was no disguising the anger in her voice.

"We have to. He wont talk to anyone else."

"Skinner you have to tell him. It's not going to happen," her eyes flared between the two men.

"If we don't let him talk to Mulder he is likely to blow that building and by all accounts this whole block," Watters shouted.

"I don't give a shit," Scully replied.

"Agent Scully." Skinner stepped up to her and took her elbow. He pushed her out of the van and followed after her. "You know as well as I do that Mulder would do what he can."

"But this is not something he can do. He has no memory of his training. No viable ability to take part in a hostage negotiation. We need to convince Carson that he's talking to the Agent who profiled him and seeing as Mulder has no recollection of that profile calling him here would be pointless."

"It would be crazy to put Mulder in this position and I won't do it," Skinner admitted through gritted teeth.

"Thank you sir."

"Agent Watters?" he called into the van and Watters appeared beside them. "You took part in the profiling cant you speak to him?"

"Well sir I took notes. Mulder did the work."

"There is no way that Mulder is coming down here. You need to brush up on your profiling and talk to this guy."

"But sir I already tried that. Carson knows it wasn't me."

"I'll do it sir. I know Mulder's mind. I'll know what to do."

Skinner turned to see her looking earnestly at him. In her jeans, boots and baggy jumper she looked smaller than usual but her face was stern and her eyes were flashing with a mixture of anger and tension.

"Okay. What time is Carson calling back?"

"Three minutes," Watters said as he checked his watch.

"Scully, you ready?"

"Yes sir."

"Lets do it. Set her up in the van." He turned and walked away shouting at the police to get the area cleared to a two-block radius. His voice brought anger into his orders and Scully had no doubt that they'd be carried out. One of the tech team members hooked her up to a hands free kit to talk on the phone so she could take notes. She listened to the soft static and a sudden image of Mulder lying on her couch flashed before her eyes. Wishing she could be there with him she shook away the distracting thoughts and began to compile the profile as best as she could remember.

***

Mulder threw his head back against the couch and listened for the slam from the outer door. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He couldn't believe he kissed her. He couldn't believe she let him. He couldn't believe she had to go. His heart was racing and a mixture of excitement and disbelieve swam through him. When the phone rang he could have happily ignored it but when she pulled away to answer it he let her go. She avoided his gaze turning her back to him and he had to stop himself from standing up to her and wrapping his arms around her to feel her lean back against his chest. Now that she had let him kiss her he wanted to see what else he could do.

He stood away from the couch with a sudden burst of energy and walked restlessly around the small room. She could be gone hours so he tried to settle his nerves. Sitting here was doing him no good but with no key for re-entry he was stuck. A loud rumble from his stomach argued for food so he reached for the Chinese menu they'd ordered from the other night. After ordering enough for both of them thinking she might be back late but she might be hungry, he switched on the TV. Flicking through many channels he stopped suddenly when he saw Skinner being interviewed.

"The situation is fully under control and we are only clearing the area for precautionary purposes," Skinner said clearly uneasy at being in front of the cameras.

"Has the bomb alert been verified?" the interviewer asked.

"There has been no bomb threat and report of such is only likely to cause panic. Everything is under control."

"Is it correct that an Agent is being held hostage in the gallery?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer any more questions and if you'll kindly move back to the cordoned line I'll return when I can with an update."

As Mulder watched him walk away from the camera crew his heart fell. Something in his head screamed and he knew that Dana was there. And from what little he knew of her, he knew she'd be volunteering to go in first.if she wasn't already in there.

"This is Sharon Day for channel 12 news at the international Gallery."

Sinking into the couch he held his head in his hands. The elation he felt earlier had disappeared in a wave of fear and anger. Hoping that she'd remain on the outskirts but knowing she wouldn't, Mulder waited. The frustration he felt over the past few days was insignificant to the futility he felt now. He knew that he should be down there, and maybe if he'd been working on the case the whole time they might not even be in that situation. A wave of guilt washed over him and even though rationally he knew there was little he could have done, he let it seep in slowly pushing away anything else.

He thought of going down to the gallery and flashing his FBI badge to gain entry but he knew there was nothing he could do down there except get in the way. He resigned himself to a long stay watching the news waiting for updates and hoping for a phone call from Dana.

***

Scully let the phone ring three times, glancing around the rooms for all them to nod before picking up the receiver. Her tongue darted out and licked her top lip before she could speak.

"Hello."

"Who am I talking to?" the voice commanded.

"This is the profiler," she said her voice surprisingly calm.

"You? Do you take me for a fool?" the voice sneered.

"Sir, I assure you that I am the profiler. I have handled over 400 cases in this country alone over the past five years," she looked over to Skinner who nodded his head slowly.

"400? That's quite a lot."

"What do you want Carson?" she asked anxious to get the conversation moving.

"I wanted to talk to the person who finally managed to get into my head. See how close you really are!"

"We need to talk to Agent Reilly."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that. He's all tied up and I don't wanna have to go through knotting them ropes again."

"I need a good faith gesture, I need something from you."

"How about you come in here and see for yourself?"

Scully faltered. She knew she couldn't go in but she had little experience in hostage talks and wondered briefly how to get out of it.

"I don't think that would work."

"Well until you're ready to make it work I'm not talking."

The voice was replaced by a continuous tone when he hung up. She pulled the earpiece out and turned to Skinner. He had removed his glasses and was rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Sir?"

"You have to go in." He turned to the SWAT team leader. "I want a path cleared for her. I want men all over that building and I want surveillance stepped up. If she's going in I don't want her going in blind," he said calmly and then added, "Lets get moving."

"Obviously unarmed."

"Yes, but we'll set you up with a camera and microphone. That way we'll be able to keep track and talk you through any hassles." He watched her for a moment and then stepped closer to her. "I don't like this."

"No sir, neither do I."

"What you have to do once inside is evaluate the weaponry-," he said.

"Yes sir, I know the steps, I'll clock the weapons, threat and modes of escape."

"Don't let him know you're bugged."

"Keep away from phones," one of the SWAT members told her.

She lifted her jumper off over her head and held her arms up for them to attach the wires. Skinner stood next to her telling her the procedures of hostage negotiation. She knew all the steps but she let him reel them off to help him ease his mind. He was obviously worried about her going in to the building alone and unarmed but she had talked herself into a corner with Carson and was left with little choice. Watters sat on a low stool by the van door and watched her get wired up. His expression was unreadable and she wondered what he was thinking as she pulled her jumper back over her head.

"This earpiece will let us talk to you."

She took the small skin colored object and slipped it into her left ear. A small pin in the shape of a clover was pinned onto her collar and twisted until the tech could see the picture clearly on the screens in front of him.

"Okay, you're ready to go," he declared the smile on his face quickly fading as he realized what he was setting her up for.

She glanced over at Skinner who took her arm and led her out of the van. A small troop of four SWAT members was hunkered down by the side of the road and as she and Skinner walked over two of them took off and ran towards the building, covering the entrance. Skinner spoke to her about keeping Carson talking and recommending that he release Reilly and she half listened to him as she tried to think of the profile her and Mulder had gone through the morning of the accident.

"Don't do anything rash and don't put yourself in a position where-."

"Sir, I'll be fine."

She pulled her hair into a ponytail and tapped the SWAT member's shoulder. Skinner watched as she ran towards the building with both of them and finally disappeared behind the large oak doors. He hurried back to the van to watch the feedback, readying the SWAT for a raid in case anything went wrong.

Her steps echoed in the empty gallery halls as she cautiously made her way up to the second floor. Their voices carried out through the open door and part of her wished she'd brought a gun even though she knew they would remove it. Pausing a minute before entering she took a deep breath and tried to steady her wildly beating heart.

"Come on in," Carson called, "or are you going to stay out there all night?"

She stepped through the door and glanced around the room searching for Reilly. He was tied up to a radiator, his face bloody and battered. His head hung back at an angle that she knew must be hurting and he wasn't moving.

"So you decided to come in.unarmed I assume, save for the repertoire of procedures you law types tend to get logged down in," Carson said his voice sneering across the room getting a laugh out of the others.

"That's Wright over there," he pointed to the man without a gun, "that's Fergus and that's Mark."

Skinner surveyed the room from the SWAT van and counted all the guns they wore. One of then stood empty handed, his army jacket closed tight showing some unusual bulges in his chest and back.

"What is that guy wearing?" Skinner said pointing him out to the swat leader.

"Looks like he's got strapping on. Could be a bomb."

"Jesus Christ. I want the team ready to attack. Surely we can gain entrance easily enough now that we've seen the room."

"Sir the paintings in that room are priceless-."

"I don't care if the god dammed Mona Lisa is in there, they are not worth the lives of two agents."

"Yes sir." The leader took a print out of the room out to the rest of the squad telling them where to go and they separated across the lawn in different directions ready for the signal to enter the building.

"What do you want Carson?" Scully said twisting around the room to make sure they could get a full picture back in the swat van.

"So you're the famous Mulder."

"What?"

"Mulder…the profiler. I didn't imagine you to be so pretty."

"You seem to have imagined yourself into some sort of position of power easily enough," Scully retorted angrily knowing Mulder would return with a smart comment.

Carson walked over to her and leaned into her, his stale breath caressing her neck.

"You see I thought you were a guy," he whispered.

"Hey Carson," Wright shouted, "let's get the gear and get out of here." Scully looked up and saw him walking over.

"I'm trying to get us out of here in one piece," Carson replied without looking round.

"This is fucking stupid," he shouted again, this time louder, "the bloody FBI is crawling all over the place, there are SWAT members out side-."

Carson turned slowly and faced him fully before pulling out his gun and pulling the trigger. A loud crack resonated around the room and Wright fell to his knees clutching his stomach.

"The stomach wound, slowest and most painful…a treasure to witness," Carson said.

He returned his gaze to Scully but the two other men were getting restless. Looking at each other with worried glances they didn't want to speak up afraid they'd be next. Wright lay wounded on the cold floor, his blood pooling around his torso and his moans loud and disturbing.

"Hey Carson, what's the plan?" Mark called out uneasily.

"Well, firstly we are going to gather the paintings, then we'll get to the roof and this lovely Agent Mulder is going be our insurance for a safe getaway," he said his eyes never leaving hers.

"What about Reilly?" he asked and Scully could tell by the look on his face that he was afraid of the answer

"Reilly?" Carson stepped towards the radiator where the other Agent Lay. He grabbed a handful of hair and pulled his head up. Scully could see his face more clearly now and his eyes were open and glazed over. She couldn't tell if he was dead without a closer look, but she was pretty sure he was. Her stomach churned at the thought of a wasted opportunity. She should have known he was dead when they wouldn't let her talk to him. Her eyes widened as she watched Carson pullout his gun and hold it under Reilly's chin.

"No!" she yelled but her voice was drowned out by another crack of the gun.

Mark and Fergus looked away as the blood burst across the wall staining several paintings. Carson stepped away rubbing his hands on his jeans, his smile wide and repulsive.

"Scully get out of there," she heard Skinner yell in her ear.

"Let it go Carson…I'm outta here," Fergus said throwing his gun to the floor, he made his way out to the door prepared to hand himself in to the FBI. But before he could make it out of the room, Carson lifted his gun and without a word he pulled the trigger, bouncing him off the half open door. His body slammed to the floor forcefully and lay still. Marks eyes flew from Fergus to Carson and to Scully. He lifted his own gun and aimed it at Carson.

"Carson, you've gone fucking crazy. CRAZY!!" he shouted, backing away from him towards the door. Carson's smile widened and he turned his gun onto Mark but before he could do anything, Mark pulled his trigger hitting him in the shoulder. Carson staggered but he didn't fall. He looked up at Mark, this time laughing and shot him.

Scully yelled at them to stop but regretted her decision when they both turned their guns on her. Without thinking she dove for cover, sliding across the floor, bullets narrowly missing her spraying the wall where she stood before.

"GO IN, GO IN," Skinner's voice was loud and she knew he was telling the SWAT team to charge the building. Looking around she saw Marks bloodied body lying on the floor motionless. From behind the fallen chair she couldn't see Carson, but soft moans came from the other side of the room.

"It's too late Mulder," Carson yelled his voice choked. She carefully leaned out past the edge of the chair and she could see him lying on his back inching his way towards Wright's body. "It's too late."

His body wrenched as he coughed up a stream of blood that ran down his face and trailed after him. He tried to laugh, but with the blood choking him it turned into a rattling splutter.

"Don't move," Scully shouted but the gun he held against his chest moved towards her and he pulled the trigger, the back kick hurting him more than he thought.

"Mulder, you should know…I'm not the giving up type," he said as he continued to move. "And I do like to go out with a bang."

"Scully that guy is strapped with a bomb. You need to get out of there," Skinner said surprisingly calmly in her ear. "I can't send the SWAT team in with that threat. We have a bomb squad on the way but just get out of there."

She watched, unable to move as Carson sidled up to Wright's body and ripped open his jacket, showing her the plastic explosives he had strapped to him.

"No, Carson…don't."

"Too late Mulder, too late," he said as he reached up for the timing mechanism.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath as she struggled to her feet and ran for the door. The room was showered with bullets as Carson tried to stop her escape but she managed to duck behind the door.

"TOO LATE MULDER."

She could hear him shouting as she dashed down the stairs, talking them two and three steps at a time. The blast shook the floor beneath her feet and behind her a warm flash rose, getting closer and closer.

Skinner watched from behind the SWAT van as the explosion shattered the gallery's windows, an enormous ball of flame blasting out of the walls. The feedback from her wire went to static and he could only watch helplessly as the building half fell, fires rising from the remains.

***

Mulder sat on the low table in an effort to get closer to the television, hoping he'd spot her in the crowd as the camera panned around the scene. The reporter commented on the SWAT teams that had scattered around the building but he paid her little attention. Suddenly the blast shook the building almost knocking the cameraman to the floor.

"Oh god." he whispered his eyes widening.

The gallery stood as bare remains, fires exploding across it and he looked on in terror. Inside him, fear coursed through his body as he watched transfixed unable to move. The TV crew scattered and ran towards the fallen building. But the police held them back.

"We're not sure what happened or who may have been involved but the explosion has shattered the building, knocking down the eastern face," the reporter said into the camera, "Fires have already broken out but there seems to be no sign of any survivors."

"Dana." his fingers reached out and he gently touched the screen. "Please be okay...please be okay."

The blast threw her into the air and she landed on the ground with a sickening thud. Jack watched her, waiting for a sign of life and before he could think about it too much, he dashed out and carried her back to relative safety, shielded behind the car. Smaller explosions made him jerk, keeping his head low as he held his body over her trying to protect her as best he could. He looked down at her and gently touched her neck looking for a pulse.

"Scully?" he said when he felt the small beat beneath her jaw line, "Scully?"

Carefully he tapped her cheeks with the back of his fingers and smiled when she moaned in protest.

"Hey…Scully…wake up!"

Her head rolled to the side and slowly she rolled over away from him and onto all fours. With her head hung low, she carefully sat back onto her heals, her hands reaching up to hold her head.

"Oh my god…my head." She pushed her hands over her head and looked up to see Jack watching her, smiling. Looking up at the remains of the gallery, her eyes widened in shock and she leaned out past the edge of the car to get a better look. "Jesus…what happened?"

"The Gallery, Carson triggered a bomb. You just made it out when it went up"

"Are you okay?" she asked looking over at him as he sat against the car, his face covered in dust and dirt from lying in the ground.

He laughed loudly and she frowned. She had just been thrown clear of an explosion while he cowered behind his car and she was asking how he was.

"You know what Scully? I like you. And now I know why Mulder keeps you locked up down there," he said standing and reaching a hand down to help her up.

"What do you mean?" She took his hand and slowly he pulled her to her feet.

"He's afraid we'll take you away and leave him alone in that bloody basement."

She laughed and shook her hand through her dusty hair. Her left cheek had been scraped where she landed on the ground and the stitches on her hand had been ripped open. She followed Jack over to the SWAT team where Skinner was organizing a search crew to sift through the rubble.

"Scully, we thought you were still in there."

"No sir, I made it out just in time and Jack helped me get away from the blast."

"Do you think they could have survived?"

"Well Carson was getting pretty trigger happy in there so it was only him and myself left anyway."

It was then that Skinner noticed the blood flowing freely from the wound on her wrist and ordered her to get checked out at the ambulance. Jack walked over with her and sat by her side as one of the technicians re-stitched her hand.

"I can't believe you made it out of there," he said.

"Mulder would be proud." Mulder!!

"I don't suppose you have a phone? I only noticed those cameras and if Mulder saw what went on he'll be worried sick."

Jack pulled out his mobile and handed it to her. He walked away leaving her in relative privacy as the EMT cleaned up her wounds. She dialed her own familiar number and juggled past the EMT to hold the phone up to her ear.

"Hello? Dana?" he answered on the first ring.

"Mulder, hi."

"Oh thank god, I was so afraid." his voice trailed off still too scared to say what could have happened.

"I'm fine, a few cuts and bruises. I just wanted to ring and say I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

After the EMT had finished with her she walked over to Jack and handed him back his mobile.

"Thanks Jack, for everything."

"Any time Ms Scully. It was a pleasure to work with you."

She looked out at the fire engines that had arrived and watched as the SWAT team stood back waiting for the all clear before they could enter. The firemen sprayed the rubble and already the fires were going out, leaving a black plume of smoke to cover the night sky, blocking any chance anyone had of seeing the stars.

"Agent Scully?"

She turned to see Skinner calling her and excused herself from Jack's side and walked over to him.

"Yes sir?"

"Go home."

His face was steady and he frowned deeply, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Yes sir." Without the energy or the desire to argue she simple agreed.

"Take some time tomorrow and I'll see you on Friday morning at 9am for a report of what happened in there."

"Yes sir, thank you." She started to turn away but he caught her elbow before.

"You did everything you could in there Agent Scully. I saw what happened, we all did. There was nothing you could have done to change any of this." His arm swept behind him to cover the expanse of the burning building.

"No sir, I suppose not."

"I'll see you Friday morning." He squeezed her arm before letting it go and walking over to the assembled crowd of Agents.

She watched for a minute wondering if she should have insisted she stay, but she saw the determined look in his eyes and knew there would be no arguing with him. Besides, she thought, the idea of going home and stepping into a hot shower was infinitely more appealing than sifting through the burning rubble.

Her car had been moved from where she had abandoned it and the journey through the crowded streets seemed to take forever, but finally as she turned onto her street she breathed out a sigh of relief. Parking the car against the curb, she slowly climbed out and made her way up the long path towards her apartment.

As she turned her key in the lock the door swung open pulling her inside. Silently Mulder pulled her into his arms, slamming the door behind her. They stood in the warm protective embrace swaying for a long time before he released her, just enough so he could look down into her face.

"You okay?" his fingers reached up and traced the line of scrapes that marked her otherwise perfect skin.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm tired, I need a shower, my head is pumping and I have a ringing in my ears.but I'm fine."

"Is there anything I can do?" he said pulling her head against his chest again.

"No, I'll just go and take a shower. I'll be right back."

Reluctantly he let her go, watching her back as she stepped silently into the bathroom after pulling a large towel from the hot press. Her head hung low and her eyes were full of tears but he decided not to mention it, hoping she'd talk when she was ready. Looking around the room he spotted the takeout he'd ordered and left on the table untouched. He unpacked the dishes and reheated the packs in the microwave, serving them onto two plates. As she swept through the hallway from the bathroom to her bedroom, he carried them both into the living area. He was returning from the kitchen with a bottle of white wine when she emerged from her bedroom, wearing a pair of black and red pyjama bottoms and a black long sleeve top.

"Hey," she said as she sat onto the chair and curled her feet beneath her. "When did this arrive?"

"Hours ago. I thought you might be hungry when you got back."

"Thanks." She took the plate he held out to her and they ate in silence for a while.

"Was anyone killed?" he said softly when he saw her eyes glaze over during the meal. Deciding not to wait for her to speak, he made the first tentative step.

"Agent Reilly. And four members of his gang."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, his momentary bravery disappearing beneath the threat of her tears.

"Not really," she replied her voice barely a whisper.

After they finished eating he cleared away the plates and poured out some wine. Her unfocused eyes stared into the fireplace and she didn't move when he sat down next to her. He made no attempt to speak and simply waited with her while she mulled over the day, letting it all sink in at its own pace.

The wine swirled around in his glass as he waited and he was surprised at the touch of her fingers across the back of his hand. He glanced up and saw her still staring away, this time the tears more than a threat, they fell silently down her face, mixing with the contours of her scraped cheeks.

Without speaking he raised his arm over her and pulled her close so that she nestled into his body. He let his arm rest heavily against her, his hand on her hip holding her tightly against him. With his other hand he soothed her wet hair away from her face and gently whispered soft words of comfort against the crown of her head. A tender kiss placed on her forehead made her look up and he smiled sadly down to her.

He reached up and cupped her face in his hands and caringly wiped her tears away with his thumbs. Her eyes still glistened with unshed tears as he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against her lips. He felt her sigh against him and kissed her again, this time deeper and more urgent. If the soft touch of her hand splayed out on his chest surprised him he didn't show it. Her fingers gripped his shirt pulling him closer and needing to feel him alongside her she shifted nearer, until he lifted her small body up and rested her on his lap, their lips still connected.

When he pulled away and looked into her eyes he could see how tired she was and how much she was battling to stay awake. Blinking rapidly she shook her head a little.

"Headache?" he whispered, curling an errant lock of hair behind her ear. She didn't speak only nodded her head. "Why don't you go to bed and get some rest?"

"No, I'm fine. I'd rather stay here with you."

"But you could go get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

"No really, lets just lie here. I'll be fine."

"Okay," he stood and walked away leaving her in confusion for a second before returning with a glass of water and a small pill. She smiled her gratitude and took it quickly, returning the glass to him when she'd swallowed it. He rinsed the glass out and left it to dry on the dish rack thinking of how he had just mimicked her gesture when he was ill. He smiled and returned to see her lying on her side on the couch, leaning slightly forward so he had enough room to slip in behind her. Her eyes were closed and her arm bent under her head. He grabbed a cushion from the other seat and carefully stepped in behind her, holding his head up with the thick soft cushion.

Afraid to move he tried not to nudge against her too much in case she had fallen asleep, but her hand fumbled on the ground for something until finally holding up the remote for him.

"You'll probably need this," she said.

"Won't it keep you up?"

"No, I'll be asleep soon. I just don't want to be alone," she added softly and he reached out to her, his arm wrapping around her waist pulling her tight against him. She took a deep breath and covered his hand that rested on her flat stomach with her own to insure that it wouldn't move.

The television kept the dark room in a soft glow as he watched an old western with the sound barely audible, his eyes constantly flickering to her face. Her breathing had relaxed and become regular in that secure, contented way that sleep induced. She had turned into his body and slipped her free arm over him and he loved it.

The feel of her pulling him closer and holding him tightly made him smile. Her head reached up to his chin and he couldn't help but press a few kisses into her hair every so often, inhaling her scent deeply. Afraid he might wake her, he chided himself but didn't care as his lips reached down for another sweet kiss.

Her body stirred against him and she moaned into his chest, unknowingly kissing him. His breath caught in his throat and he froze unable to move in case he took her movements as encouragement. He closed his eyes to the sight of her and wished her awake but was glad she trusted him enough to fall asleep next to him; or rather against him he thought smiling. He switched the TV off and snuggled lower into the couch, enjoying the warmth she spread into him. With a final kiss, this time against her temple he closed his eyes and basked in the feeling of her arms around him.

***

Slowly her eyes opened to the sight of her living room. The curtains were drawn so minimal light seeped over the rail at the top. A soft snoring alerted her more and she suddenly became aware of an arm around her and a body lying next to her.

Her momentary panic subsided when the events of the night before arose giving way to a small smile that caressed her lips and she cuddled her back against his chest, letting the warm feeling spread through her for just a few moments more. His breathing stopped and she listened carefully, a giggle in her throat threatening to explode.

He could almost hear her listening and delighted in the soft shaking of her body as a small chuckle escaped. His arm tightened around her waist and he seemed to pull her even closer, if that was possible.

"You awake?" he asked, even though he knew she was.

"Yes."

He leaned up on his elbow and she rested onto her back. His arm stayed across her body and his warm fingers gently stroked the area of skin than was revealed between her jumper and pajamas, just over her hipbone.

"How do you feel?"

"Much better. Thank you, for staying with me. For holding me," her eyes wandered around the room unable to stay as transfixed as he.

"No problem, I enjoyed it." He touched a tender kiss against her temple and lifted his head in time to see the small blush creep up her cheeks. "Agent Scully are you blushing?" he teased.

"I guess I'm not used to waking up on my couch in the arms of a man," she tried to lighten her voice but he caught her unease. His hand slowly slid across her abdomen and he followed it with his eyes, as if he was trying to memorize the feel of her beneath his hand. He lifted it off her before placing it at the other side of her head and pushed himself off the couch. Standing now, he loomed over her as she sat up, pulling herself closer to the edge.

"Hadn't you better be rushing off to solve world crimes?" he said unable to keep the tension out of his voice as he tucked in his shirt and fixed his trousers.

"Actually I have the day off. Mental fatigue…after the situation last night, Skinner told me to take today off to rest."

"So what are you going to do?" he asked turning to her as she stood.

"Well I was hoping to spend it with my favorite G-Man. But as he's not here you'll have to do!"

"Yeah, funny," he couldn't help but falling into her shy smile and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. She glanced up at him looking from underneath her brow and saw his smile. "But I could really do with a shower and a change of clothes."

"We can drop by your place after breakfast."

She escaped into the bathroom and showered while he prepared a simple breakfast of toast and coffee. When she emerged wearing a pair of black jeans and a deep red top he paused the toast halfway to his mouth.

"Setting a trap Mulder?"

"Only for you," he murmured under his breath but she caught it and allowed the smile to take her lips as she poured her coffee.

They ate quickly and she drove them over to his place. Sitting on his couch, she listened to him mooch around his bedroom and dash into his bathroom. She looked around the room and took in the barely personal items that scattered the place. Work was everywhere for him, with files strewn all over his desk and printouts on his coffee table. She wondered what would happen if Mulder didn't get his memory back. Would he be able to continue working on the X-Files? Would he even want to? He heard a loud sigh escaping her lips as he stepped from the bathroom and slowly walked to the corner to lean against the wall. With one towel draped around his hips, he used the other to rub his head. Peering out from it leaving his hair messed up he smiled at the sight of her, sitting quietly as she waited for him.

"Hey…what are you thinking about?"

She looked up and her voice faltered when she saw him standing half naked against the wall. His hair stood up on all sides and she smiled at his mussed up look.

"You."

"Me?" He said stepping further around the corner.

"Yeah, you," she smiled a beautiful alluring smile that she allowed to linger on her lips a moment longer when she caught him staring.

"What about me?" he asked his voice telling nothing of his erratically beating heart, he walked over to her and sat in next to her.

"Just worrying about you really. Hoping everything works out for you."

"Of course it will."

"Isn't that my line?" she said smiling again and staring at his face to keep herself off his inviting chest.

"Well I've been thinking too. About my memory, or rather my lack of it." He let his hand fall between his knees and watched the floor for a minute. "I think it's all going to be fine. I may have lost my education and my career but as far as I can tell I've gained you…and that's worth a thousand careers."

His eyes remained stuck to the floor as she reached out and took his hand in hers. He glanced at her and they exchanged a quiet smile before she nudged him with her elbow.

"Come on get dressed and we'll get out of here and start my day of relaxation," she said.

He grinned and a smart comment rose up to the tip of his tongue but she caught it before he could release it and shook her head slowly. He let out a short laugh and left to get changed. While he was gone Scully stood up and straightened her top.

That was intense, she thought; so emotional

It wasn't long before Mulder walked in combing his hair and threw the brush on to the couch. Running his fingers through the dark brown locks, dislodging most of them, he slapped his hands together and smiled widely. "So what would you like to do?"

"Something quiet, relaxing and easy."

"I was hoping you'd say that," he stepped closer to her and took both of her hands. "I have a surprise. Will you come with me?"

"Okay, where to?" she asked carefully.

"It's a surprise," he laughed as he led her out of the apartment and down to the street.

He had called a cab and it was outside waiting for them. Holding the door open he gently pushed her in and jumped in behind her. From his pocket he pulled out a black cotton scarf and held it up.

"Trust me?" he asked. He tentative nod made him laugh out loud, a deep belly laugh that stopped his motions and made her turn.

"Couldn't I just close my eyes?" she asked as he pressed the scarf to her face and tied it at the back of her head.

"No, that would be no fun for me."

"Tying up fantasies Mulder?"

"Sounds good to me."

His light mood and easy banter half excited her and half saddened her. The glimpse of the old Mulder showed her what she was missing, while this new brave untroubled Mulder showed her a brand new side of him that she always suspected lived inside of him, if only he would give it a chance to thrive.

The cab journey seemed to go on for a long time but she figured it was because of her temporary blindness. His hand rested on her thigh and it felt warm and heavy, a wave of heat emanating from its center. She was surprised when the cab stopped and Mulder squeezed her leg, telling her to wait where she was. She heard him climb out and soon her door was yanked open.

"Come on Mulder, can't I take it off yet?" she asked pulling at the blindfold.

"No leave it," he replied grabbing her hands and pushing them away.

She could feel him standing behind her the length of his body close to hers, his breath brushing her neck. He led her with one hand on her shoulder and the other across her lower back. With her sight gone she listened for clues to tell her where she was, but the noise level was uncomfortable and she couldn't imagine what would be creating it.

Mulder steered her through the crowds and handed over two tickets to the gate attendant. He slowed their pace as they came to steps and laughed at the curious glances they were getting from the other patrons.

"There are a few steps here Dana," he said as they stepped on to the first one.

"Ohh," she gasped not expecting them but Mulder's grip had tightened and he steadied her as the climbed the stairs. The noise level rose, as they got closer to the top and Mulder whispered in her ear.

"We're here!"

As he pulled the blindfold off her, she blinked rapidly beneath the bright overhead lights and slowly her eyes focused on a huge arena surrounding a basketball court.

"Is this the MCI center?" she asked her smile wide when she turned to him.

"Yeah I got tickets for the Knicks game."

"Oh my god Mulder," she said laughing now the sound of it caressing his ears. He took her hand and led her over to their seats.

"Do you like it?" he held her hand tightly and looked over to her expectantly.

"Yeah Mulder, I do."

"Good," he said before landing a kiss onto her fingers.

The game was fast and exciting and Scully found herself shouting and chanting with the rest of the supporters. Mulder watched her intently only pretending to watch the game. The more she got enthralled the longer he could risk watching her. She lurched up when a foul was called against the Knicks shouting her disapproval with the rest of them. He laughed when she sat down again and she couldn't help but laugh too.

"I thought I was the b-ball fan?"

"Well it's infectious!"

Finally the whistle blew and the game was over with the Knicks loosing by only three points. Her heart was beating like mad when they stepped out of the stadium and into the cool evening air. Her head was spinning from the excitement and she wondered briefly why Mulder had never taken her to a game before.

"Did you have a good time Dana?" he asked as they wandered aimlessly through the streets that were brimming with celebrating Wizards fans and a few disappointed Knicks fans.

"It wasn't the quiet time of relaxation I had planned on," she replied but when she saw his face falling she took his hand and smiled up to him, "but I had a fantastic time!"

"Good. I always knew you were a closet basketball fan Scully, I just never figured you'd be a Knicks fan."

"I guess you have rubbed off on me." She couldn't seem to stop smiling and he reached an arm around her shoulders pulling her into a soft embrace.

"First it was baseball and then it was basketball, shall we go for a hockey game next?"

"I dunno I'm a pretty good skater."

"Well then maybe you could teach me a thing or two."

"Wait a second Mulder, how did you know about the baseball lesson?"

She stopped them both and he looked down into her face, confusion swimming across his own, unknowingly matching hers.

"What?"

"How did you know about the baseball lesson you gave me? Who told you?"

"No one, I was there, remember I called you up and left a message…on your phone from…Fox Mantle?"

His words slowed down as he realized what he was saying and this time the confusion was replaced with euphoria. He laughed out loud and picked her up swinging her around in his arms.

"Oh my god…I have it, it's back...my memory is back."

"What else do you remember?"

"Jesus…so much…it's all muddled up."

"Relax Mulder Calm down, let it come back at its own pace."

"This is fantastic…I can't believe I didn't even realize."

He grabbed her face and planted a kiss on her lips but she stiffened in his hands, her lips unresponsive.

"What is it?" he asked softly his voice barely a whisper as all the Scully images he had stored flooded back to him.

.Scully standing in his motel room on their first case, tentatively showing him her bare back.

.Scully walking up to him on the first Annual FBI Gala he had taken her to, her long black dress flowing with it's tempting low cut back.

.Scully lying asleep in the car beside him as they waited for suspects to show up, her mouth open just enough for her tongue to come out and caress her pouted lips.

.Scully bent over a PC her hair tied away from her face and her long fingers gently stroking her slender neck.

.Scully laying in her hospital bed, her eyes sunken, her body weak but her smile shining brightly for him.

.Scully throwing her head back with a fitful laugh when he made a joke as they shared a pizza in a motel room.

.Scully lying in his arms on the couch as she woke from a peaceful sleep, her body shaking with mirth as she giggled.

"It's great that you have your memory back," she whispered, her eyes glued to a spot where his shoulder and his neck met.

"You could say it like you mean it," he joked.

"Oh Mulder, I do. I really do. It's great." She forced a smile and stepped away from him enough to break his embrace. "I've missed you down in that basement. Now everything can get back to normal," she half turned away from him and started to walk on up the street.

"Normal? Jesus no way!" He grabbed her elbow and pulled her roughly back to him, holding her tightly in place.

Her heart skipped when he leant down and kissed her gruffly. She didn't protest and simply let the feeling coarse through her body, afraid of when the next one might be, if ever. When he pulled away he looked down to her face and the dread that she wore ripped through him like he never imagined.

"Scully I can't experience the feelings I have done over the past few days then switch them off all of a sudden. I wouldn't want to. There is no way to explain the freedom I felt, and I can only understand it now when I feel the restraints of my life pulling me down again." His voice was rushed but tender. His eyes pleaded with her but she tried not to read too much into them only listened to the gentle waves of his words wondering, hoping to where this conversation was leading. "But the one thing I will not lock down is my feelings for you. I have felt this way for a long time and I only did something about it when my fear had disappeared. I'm glad it did," he added softly.

He watched her for a moment afraid of her silence, terrified of her stillness.

"Mulder...I..." she stammered still not meeting his powerful gaze.

"But this has to be two way. I can't take you out on my own!" He tried desperately to make her smile, hoping that if she did he would be able to reach deeper into her and help them both.

"I know. I enjoyed it too."

"You enjoyed kissing me as much as I enjoyed kissing you?" he said smiling again this time pulling her fingers up to his mouth, letting her feel his smile in case there was any doubt.

"Yes," her blush exploded across her cheeks but he saw no shyness in her eyes, only desire and something else he was afraid to hope for.

"So do we have to stop?" he pressed.

"We have to think about work? Our relationship? Our lives?"

"Scully all I want to do is kiss you and see where it goes from there, it took me long enough to get this far, I'm not about to let you go without a fight."

"Okay. let's see where it goes from there."

Slowly she stepped up on to her tiptoes and raised her face to him, her lips pouted slightly as her eyes closed over. He froze for a second making sure he could store that image before claiming her lips as his own, he hoped for not the last time.

THE END

'

Disclaimer: FOX/Chris C owns them, I just borrow and play with them, No profit, no foul. LOL

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