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Title: Fox and Dana: Together Forever Summary: Pre-XF. Mulder and Scully start out in High School, and keep meeting over the years.
This is the story of two lovers who were destined to be together. Years rolled on and we were apart for many years. Somehow, call it fate if you will, we always ended up together. It's funny, almost, how we grew together and always came together. I did love him, and he loved me. I knew it the moment he gave me the gold cross I still have to this day. And when saw his portrait gallery. He was a sweet, sweet man. I miss him so much. This is how it began...
THE SCHOOL YARD STEPS He sat on the steps patiently, waiting for the new girl to arrive. She was new to the school, and he offered to help her get around, to catch up. He could really tell she was new. She was a half an hour late already. He wondered what she looked like. She just moved in the other day, only a stone's throw away from his home. She had decided to start next week since it was a Wednesday. Her name was Dana Scully, she had a few brothers and a sister, and her father was in the navy so they moved a lot. Her father was taking a break so the kids could get a good year of school in. He checked his watch for the fourth time. 3:40pm. If she didn't get there soon he was going to leave. He didn't like to be stood up. Just then, a fiery redheaded girl came bounding up the steps, and rushing towards him. "Oh, you must be so mad at me! Please forgive me!" she called. As she approached, she brushed some lose strands of her fiery colored hair to reveal beautiful purple eyes. She wore a pair of wide leg jeans that hung loosely on her hips, and a short baby-tee that had a little frog and a tie-dye background. *She looks kinda cute with her stomach showing like that* he thought. She stuck out a hand with manicured, painted nails. They were a deep shade of purple with a silver shooting star on each. It had obviously taken a lot of time. "I'm Dana," she introduced. "Fox Mulder," he said, taking her hand, "And consider yourself forgiven." She had very pale, soft skin. It reminded him of silk. Her eyes really stood out with her outstanding red hair. She had lush, full lips. He could definitely see helping her out. He smiled at her warmly. "So Fox, what should we start with?" she asked him softly. He liked the way she talked. Her s's and c's sounded like she was hissing. It was obvious that she was a traveler. "Whatever you want to know first," he replied. "There's always the fact of everything about you," she said, and she emphasized his name. "Me? You don't want to know about me, now do you?" he asked shyly. "Oh yes, everything," she said with a seductive smile. "Ok, I was born on October 13, 1961. I had a sister named Samantha. We've lived here all our lives, my parents got married three months before I was born and moved into our house. As for the name, you'd have to ask my mother on that one." He continued on about what he did, his hobbies, and everything else. Dana listened to every word. When he stopped, she spoke up. "You said you had a sister. What happened to her?" she asked softly. He dropped his head and took a deep breath. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Fox." He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. She saw a hint of fear. "No, it's ok. She was 8, I was 12. We were sitting in the living room playing Stratego, and a bright light paralyzed us. It lifted her up and carried her out the window. I couldn't do anything, nothing to help her...I couldn't move... I haven't seen her ever since." He dropped his head again, trying to hide a tear that fell down his cheek. Dana lifted his head and made him look at her. She stared deep into his eyes and saw how much pain he was in. She brushed away the tear that was sliding down his cheek. "I'm so sorry Fox, I had no idea. If I can help in any way..." she trailed off. She lightly squeezed his shoulder, letting him know she was there. He wiped his face and smiled at her. "So what is there to know about Dana Scully?" he asked, changed the subject. She smiled.
And that's how it started. We talked constantly, and we were never apart. Ou families became close, and we told each other everything. We even started dating. It was so cute, the way everyone stared at us. It never bothered us that much. But it was one year later, that exact day, that we were going to be separated for a very, very long time. I was going to move.
SOMEWHERE IN BOSTON "I do. That's what I think shooting stars are; UFO's." They were lying in the park, on a blanket under the stars. They were holding hands and very close together. They had been a couple since the day they met. One year ago today. "Fox, I have something to tell you," Dana said softly. "Wait, before you say anything, I got you something." Fox got up and ran towards the car. He came back with a little, rectangular box. He held it out for her. "What is it?" she asked him. "Just open it, Dana," he said anxiously. She opened the box to reveal a tiny, gold cross. It sparkled brightly in the moonlight. He put it on her carefully. "Now, what were you going to tell me?" Fox asked her. She looked into his eyes and pleaded with him silently. "We're moving." She almost started to cry right there. She didn't want to tell him, didn't want to leave. "Oh, Dana, no," Fox moaned. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close. "I don't want to leave, Fox. I don't want to leave you," she cried. He soothed her and held her tightly. He never wanted to let go. He never wanted to say good-bye.
That was how it ended for us. It was a night we would never forget, a night we lost something we could never regain. I moved that month, after endless hours of silence and days of loneliness. I played with that cross endlessly. Held it in my hand, moved it back and forth, always held it. My mother would always bring me soup and she did most of my packing. I couldn't do anything. Missy stayed with me at night until I fell asleep and she let me cry on her shoulder. I was grateful for her understanding. Fox barely said two words. We both knew we would never find anyone to replace each other, and no feeling could replace what we felt. It would never be the same for us. Ever again. Somehow we moved on, and seemed to forget each other. Went to school, dated, did the things normal people did. But for some reason, we were meant to meet again, many years later. I had been teaching at school, and Fox had worked in the Violent Crimes area. But he persuaded some people to open something called The X-Files. And I was assigned to "debunk" his cases and get inside his mind, or in other words, spy on him. Of course, we didn't know who we were meeting when we met. I only wish we had remembered each other sooner, or never have forgotten.
As Special Agent Dana Scully rode in the elevator of the FBI building to the basement, she tried to picture what her new partner would look like. Probably some dorky jerk who was obsessed with aliens, had alien things all over his desk and probably his house, too. He most likely wore those super thick glasses that had the tape around the middle, wore suspenders that held up already too short pants, she thought. Disheveled hair and a pocket protector. These guys were all the same, Scully thought. They never changed. They were the most picked on all throughout school, and was no doubt on the chess team. His I.Q. was way above age range, and he was voted most likely to become a scientist in high school. She almost laughed out loud to herself at her own thoughts. The doors opened and she walked down a cluttered hallway, a large copy machine near the elevator. She knocked on the door that read "Fox Mulder. Special Agent." "Nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted," a male voice called. Scully took that as her invitation to come in and opened the door. A lanky man sat at a desk with his back to her, looked at slides. Through glasses. She cleared her throat to get his attention and he turned around. She was breathless. *My god, what happened to him? I must have done something good to deserve this* Scully thought. She was in love with him! "Dana Scully," she introduced herself, sticking out a well-manicured hand. He took her hand and said, "I know, Fox Mulder." He smiled brightly and she couldn't help but stare. He saw a slight sparkle in her eye, and it looked familiar, like he'd seen it before. And another sparkle from around her neck as she moved to sit down. "That's a beautiful cross," he said softly, obviously catching her off guard by the compliment. "Why, thank you. It was a gift from my mother, when I turned 16," Scully said. She absent mindedly touched the cross around her slender neck. Years ago, when she moved after her 16th birthday, she forced herself to believe that it was a gift from her mother. She had too many memories with it. She looked around the room and saw it was cramped with alien stuff and case files, filing cabinets and papers of all kinds. That, she saw, was as she imagined. She saw a picture of who appeared to be the man in front of her, and a little girl. It had been taken when they were very young. Maybe 8 or 9. She had seen that little girl before. Maybe not in person, but in pictures. Many pictures, when she was younger. And then she remembered who she was sitting by, who she had just talked to, who was in the picture. "So, are you still searching for Samantha?" Scully asked, picking up the picture. Mulder turned around quickly from his slides and glared at her, seeing the picture in her hand. He snatched it away from her and placed it back by the light. "How do you know about my sister?" he asked sharply. Scully glared back at him, knowing he had forgotten about her completely. "You told me all about her, Mulder, I know exactly what happened all those years ago. When you met a small redhead, and fell in love with her, and never wanted to let her go. But you had to, her father had to move. I know all about that year. I've seen far more pictures than that one of your sister. I feel like I know Samantha," Scully explained. Shock registered on Mulder's face, and she knew he remembered about that dreadful night when she had to leave. But could he tell she was that little redhead? "How do you know about that? I haven't told anyone about that. As far as I know, I'll never love another girl like I loved her...How do you know about what happened?" Mulder asked in a rush. He was eying her suspiciously, checking his photo-graphic memory for her face. The red hair, the flashy blue eyes, the petite frame, it all looked so familiar to him, but he couldn't place where he's seen her. "Think back to when you were 16, Mulder. That redhead girl you fell in love with..." she trailed off. "Yeah," he asked. "I'm that little redhead, Mulder," she said softly. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. He stared at her and she grinned. His features softened, and he also smiled, standing up slowly, making his way around the desk. She also stood, and held her arms open to him. He rushed into them and picked her up, swinging her around the office, laughing. She laughed with him, squeezed him back, and held on tight. After he finally put her down, he placed his hands on her arms, and inspected her face. She had cut her hair, but hadn't grown that much. She was still really short, but he thought it made her look even better. "I thought that cross looked familiar. Why did you say your mom gave it to you?" he asked her after studying her face. She glanced away for a moment, then looked back at him. "When we left, I didn't want to be reminded of how much I hurt, so I forced myself to think it was a gift from mom," she explained. She saw a bit of pain in his eyes, but it disappeared the moment it appeared. It was replaced by happiness. "God, you look great!" Mulder exclaimed. "You don't look so bad yourself. You look much better than you did all those years ago. You must be a wild one with the girls," Scully said. "Nah, the last time I dated was in Oxford," he said softly, the memory of Phoebe Green coming back to him. "Oxford? Good grief, you really are smart," she said with a playful shove. "So why haven't you ever written or called? I missed hearing from you." Mulder moved back to his side of the desk and sat down. "Well, with all the moving, somehow we lost your address. I tried to find it, really I did. But I had no luck," Scully explained. "Oh well. But look at you! And in the FBI! I thought you wanted to be a marine biologist?" Mulder asked, trying to clean off his desk. "I did, and trust me, mom and dad weren't too happy with my choice of work." Scully helped him clean off a spot by collecting a stack of papers and tossing them on the floor. "Gee, we have so much to catch up on," Mulder gushed. He reached across the desk and picked up her hands, holding them in his. "I know, we should take some time to catch up..." Scully trailed off. She was staring into Mulder's eyes, lost in him. They didn't even notice the phone ringing next to them. Mulder slowly moved forward towards Scully and she followed his movements. Their faces were mere inches apart, and Scully could feel his hot breath on her face. In an instant, their tongues were dueling hotly as their mouths met. Scully broke away only so she could move around to his side of the desk and straddle his hips. They were at it again, but then Scully broke away again. "What's wrong, Dana?" Mulder asked, out of breath. She climbed off of him and stood, straightening her outfit. A cream colored suit, pants and jacket. One of her best. "We shouldn't be doing this. Not here, at least. And not now," she said to him, smoothing out her locks of red hair. It was getting long. She reminded herself to have it cut again. Mulder sat up and dug around in the drawer that held all his pens, magnets, paper clips, shoelaces, all that stuff that was too small to fit into the other drawers. And he extracted a card which he handed to Scully. "Here's my address. Stop by some time. We'll have to... catch up," he said slyly. He had that silly boyish grin that would melt a woman's heart. "You got that right. We have a lot to talk about," Scully agreed. She gathered her things and started towards the door. But she stopped abruptly and turned around, a small smile on her face. "We'll have to watch for shooting stars," she said, turning again and walking out before her new partner could reply. But she heard him mutter something under his breath that sounded like, "Oh, that was funny." She knocked on his door a little after 7, holding a bottle of white wine and a fresh apple pie. Her hair was up in a little butterfly clip, a few loose strands falling around her face and neck. She wore a short black skirt and a navy, long sleeved blouse that made a big V on her neck. Her stomach was exposed just a bit, and she knew it would drive a man crazy. It had worked before. She felt guilty for not remembering Mulder sooner, but he hadn't remembered either. She had always remembered his story of Samantha though. That was too much to forget. He had been so upset when they met and he told her about it. The door opened. "Dana, you look great," Mulder said as he opened the door all the way to let her in. He took the pie and wine and gestured for her to sit on the couch. She saw he was dressed in a black silk shirt and a slightly tight pair of jeans. Scully thought the outfit made his eyes and facial features stand out. "The pie looks great, Dana. Did you make this yourself?" he called from what must have been the kitchen. "No, the Pie Fairy left it in the oven when i stuck a pan under my pillow last night. Of course I made it," she called to him. She picked up a remote that was lying next to her on the couch and tossed it onto the table. It landed next to a red and white folder labeled "X-FILE." It must be the case we're starting tomorrow, Scully thought to herself. He emerged from the kitchen holding two wine glasses, both filled half-way up. "So what have you been up to lately, Fox?" she asked as he sat down and handed her a glass. He rested along the back of the couch and relaxed. "Just chasing little gray men, looking for Sam, trying to stay out of trouble so the people above us don't close down the X-Files. You know, the usual," he said with a shrug. She laughed lightly at his joke, but realized he wasn't joking about Sam. He was still searching for her. It was his life long dream. He had enough hope for the both of them to look for her. He had a gut feeling she was still alive somewhere. And he would find her. "What about you? What have you been doing?" Fox asked her. He sipped some wine and looked at her. "I was teaching at the academy when they told me I was assigned to you, " she said, as if it was a bad thing. "I was told I was recruited to the basement to work with *Spooky* Mulder, who was a weird guy who chased aliens and paranormal stuff. So here I am." Scully sipped her own wine and set the glass down on the table. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you when you walked in my office. I feel so bad about that. I should have realized it when I saw your cross. And I can't believe you still have it," he said. He also set down his wine and reached over to hold her hand. It was still just as soft as it was when they were kids, and just as pale. He wondered if she'd ever seen a beach. Or spent time in the sun. "I can't believe I'm here with you. It's been ages. I really felt bad for not remembering either, so you aren't alone on that. But I always kept the cross on. And I remembered who you were when I saw Sam's picture on your desk. I remembered everything about you and what all you said about her. That was one of the things I never forgot about our time together. Your story about your sister. It was so sad to see you so upset about it. But you were young. It's understandable," Scully explained. She turned her hand over in his and squeezed it gently. "See, now that you're here, you can help me find her. Will you help me, Dana?" he asked her pleadingly. He was very serious, and it showed in his eyes. "Yes, I'll help you Fox. How could I not?" she said, smiling broadly at him. He smiled back at her and squeezed her hand. She laughed at him when he made a goofy face at her. "How is the family? You have a sister and two brothers, right?" Fox asked her out of the blue. "Yeah. Melissa, Bill, and Charlie. They're all doing great. Melissa asked about you today when I called her after I got home. I was a little surprised to hear her ask about you, since that was what I had called her about. But she said she could feel your presence in my life again. That you had returned. She's really gotten into all that psychic stuff, all that stuff about Tarot cards and crystals providing power," Scully explained. Mulder listened closely as she talked about the crystals. It was obvious she still didn't believe in the paranormal. He would have to show her a thing or two. "What about your parents? Didn't you and your father have nick names for each other?" Scully blushed at the mention of her nickname. When she was young, her father had read her Moby Dick for hours on end. She nearly had it memorized by the time she was 6. It was her favorite story, it still was. "He was Ahab, I was Starbuck," was all she said. She blushed even more and avoided his eyes. "What's so embarrassing about those names? I think it's cute," Mulder stated. He did think they were cute. He could picture a young Dana Scully, sitting in bed, her father reading her a story and then kissing her on the head when it was time to say good-night. "It was such a long time ago that we gave each other those names. I can't believe you remembered that. We only use them around the house," she said, the color fading back to its original color. "Yeah, but you have to remember, I was at your house a lot of that year," he pointed out. He was right. There were times when he spent the day over and ate dinner, and times when he would just stop by to say something like "I love you" and even times when he spent the night. He did spend a lot of time over, so he would have heard the names quite a bit. There was a knock at the door and Scully looked up a bit startled. Mulder simply smiled. He stood up and answered the door. "Hey, you want to help me out here?" he called from the front hallway. Scully stood and walked towards his voice, seeing him struggling not to drop bags of Chinese food. She grabbed the smallest bag and headed towards the living room. "Oh, that's helpful. I hope you're not hungry, because what you just grabbed is your food. And those are egg rolls," Mulder said. He quickly brought in the rest of the food and set it down next to the egg rolls. He sat down and started to unload the food, Scully helping. They finished eating and sat back on the couch, very full and stuffed. "So, any other exciting relationships after you left?" Mulder asked her, patting his stomach. "Nah, no one could fill the space you left behind. I couldn't really find anyone who was good enough for me. What about you?" Scully replied, holding back a hiccup. "Nope." "You're kidding me, right? A knock-out like you hasn't had a girlfriend?" she asked, stunned. She really couldn't believe he hadn't had a girlfriend. "Well, there was someone...Phoebe Green. But she was a real player, if you know what I mean. You play with fire, you're gonna get burned. I'd rather not talk about it," he said, his eyes closed. He couldn't see the disappointment in Scully's eyes then. A long silence passed between them, then Mulder spoke up. "You're gonna love working in the FBI. There's this guy named Pendrell who falls in love with every female agent with red hair, so you'd better watch out," he warned her. Her face fell and her jaw dropped open. "You have to be kidding me. Pendrell works for the FBI?" she asked, astonished. "I thought I'd finally gotten away from him. Great. Just great. Please tell me he works somewhere else that's far away from us. Please please please..." She was puttin her hands together like she was praying. "Chill out, he works up on the 2nd floor. The only time we'll need to see him is if we need something analyzed. How do you know him, anyways?" Mulder asked. He was curious to see how she already knew of Pendrell. "He was a student of mine and constantly called me and bothered me. He had such a crush on me. I was so happy when he finally left. And now I have to be in the same building as him. It figures," she explained. Mulder was snickering. She glared at him and hit him with a small throw pillow that was next to her. He laughed even harder at that. "What's so funny?" Scully demanded. "Just wait till he finds out you work with me. He's terrified of the office. He thinks it's haunted or something. God, he's gonna freak out," he said through laughter. His face was turning red and he was starting to calm down. Scully glanced at her watch. It read 11:21pm. "Oh, look at the time. It's getting late. I should get going. We have an early flight and lord knows I won't get any sleep on that plane," she said, getting up and heading out to the door. But Mulder caught her wrist and stood up with her. He pulled her to him and hugged her. "I really missed you, Dana," he said into her hair. It smelled of roses and carnations. It filled his senses and it relaxed him completely. It had been years since he had smelled that sweet scent. She had been gone for years, out of his life and out of his touch. But she was still his Dana Scully. And she was here. "I missed you too. And I'm really glad we're together again," Scully said, pulling out of his embrace. She looked up into his eyes, and raised up onto her tip-toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. Then she opened the door. "See you tomorrow. We'll have to do this again sometime," she said as she walked out the door. It closed softly behind her. "Yeah, see you," Mulder whispered. As Scully walked out of the elevator, there was a small rose at the door of the office. She picked it up and opened the door. On her desk was vase of a dozen red and white roses. A small card stuck out from top and she picked it out and read it. Dearest Dana, I wanted to show you how much I loved you, but you already have the cross. So I hope these will do for now. Love always, Fox For now? she thought. It's almost as if he were going to ask her to marry him. She felt she was being watched and she turned around and looked at the door. There was Mulder. She smiled at him. "Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful," she said, gazing at him. "You're worth it, Dana," he said quietly. He opened his arms and she rushed into them. The elevator dinged in the hallway and they separated instantly. If they were found like that, their butts would be on the line. Oh, and they didn't want that. A.D. Skinner rounded the corner, eyes wide at the flowers on the desk. Seeing him eye the flowers, Scully spoke up. "Hello sir. The flowers are a gift from my brother. Today is kind of a special day. Is there something you wanted?" she explained. He nodded and handed them a manila folder. "Your new case, Agents Mulder and Scully. Have a nice day." He turned and left. Mulder and Scully both sighed in relief. They closed the door and sat down at the desk. "Do you know how much I love you?" Mulder asked her. Scully shot a glance at the flowers and laughed. God, he loved her laugh. It was so light and happy. "I think I can take a wild guess," she said. They moved closer and closer until they were together and Mulder lowered his head to hers, pressing his lips against hers. They were inseparable.
Inseparable. That's the way it seemed for a couple of years. We were becoming closer and closer over those few years. Until he climbed into that boxcar filled with alien skeletons. I really wish he hadn't done that. When I heard it had been blown up, I was crushed. It tore me apart, I always thought about what it would be like never seeing him again. I had already had to experience that once.
Scully sat on her couch, reading a tattered copy of 'Moby Dick' when the doorbell rang. She sat up and pulled on her jean cut-off shorts and straightened her light blue baby t-shirt. She ran a hand through her hair, which had grown quite a bit. It flowed down her back, long and thick. She opened the door to no one. She stepped out and almost tripped over a vase of red and white roses. She bent down to them and picked up the card that stuck out. On the inside, there was a card with a Bureau stamp on one side. On the other was a name. FOX MULDER. She gasped and the card fell from her hand. She ran inside and slammed the door shut, sliding down the door and sitting on the ground. A few tears slide down her still pale cheek. She had been in California for almost two years, but she hadn't gotten tan no matter how much she sat at the beach under the sun. No one except the FBI and her family knew about what happened. It had been kept undercover because they didn't want people to know what happened. And no one except her family, Mrs. Mulder and a few of her friends knew where she lived now. There was no way to contact her, even if Fox Mulder was still alive... But he couldn't be. He was buried and blown up in a boxcar. There was no way he could have gotten out alive. It was impossible. She stood up and dried her face, walking over to the kitchen to get a drink of water. She decided to go take a swim and sit at the beach. She thought some sun would help her out. She walked into her bedroom and opened a drawer, pulling out a two piece swim suit. It was a purple and white checkered. She pulled it on and threw on her shorts, applied a little sunblock, and grabbed her towel and sunglasses. Her hair was already pulled back in a loose ponytail. She headed down to the beach. A shadow fell over Scully as she sat on her beach towel, soaking up the warm fall rays. Her sunglasses were over her eyes, but she still couldn't block out the sun. The shadow was in the form of a man, but couldn't see any facial features. "Excuse me, but you're in my sun. Would you mind moving out of the way?" she asked hastily. She hoped her rudeness would get him out of the way. "Why are you always so damn stubborn?" the deep male voice asked. She sat up and wiped the little bits of sand that had snuck up onto her arm. She looked up at the man. He was tall, dark hair, wore sunglasses so she couldn't see his eyes. There was a small round scar on his shoulder. Scully guessed it was from a bullet. There were also tiny scratch marks no larger than a hair line on his chest, only three or four of them. He was tan, no shirt on, and wore tight jeans to show off his muscular legs. " Why do you keep running away from everything? You can't deny your past," he said. When she didn't say anything, he smiled. "Don't think I don't know about your past, my dear Dana. I know everything about it," he said. He smiled again and looked down on her blue eyes. The same blue eyes that used to be filled with laughter and joy, but now were dull, full of sadness and anger. He wondered why she looked like she had aged so much. Scully looked around for her shorts so she could get up and talk to this guy. She looked all around her, but when she turned back to him, he was gone. In his place was a card, a pumpkin on the front. She looked up and around her once again. "Hey, where did you go?" she called softly. Scully looked back down at the card and picked it up. It read: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! You are invited to a Halloween Masked Ball. Costumes required, as are masks. Unmasking at midnight. (Please come, Dana.) It continued to give all the needed information on where it was being held, times, and other specifics. Scully stared at the card again, looking at her name. It was hand-written so she knew it had to be whoever it was that was there just a minute ago. She had been to plenty of masked balls before, mostly for FBI parties and Halloween parties at her mother's house, so she was used to it. But she needed a costume if she wanted to find this man who was so mysterious. She would need something spectacular, something dazzling...Something from her mother. Scully stood up, slipped on her shorts that were suddenly in front of her. She picked up the card and slipped it into her back pocket and picked up her towel, walking back to her apartment. She had a call to make.
Maggie Scully's phone rang that evening, startling her out of her daze. She was sitting on the floor, listening to some instrumental music, relaxing. "Hello," she answered. "Hey mom," her daughter said. "Dana, dear! How are you?" Maggie asked enthusiastically. She hadn't heard from her daughter in a week or so, so it was nice to hear her voice again. "I'm good mom. How are you? Have you heard anything from Bill or Charlie?" Scully asked. She knew her brother was somewhere in California, but she couldn't find out where. She hadn't seen Charlie since her father's death. But she had talked over the phone a few times. Christmas was coming up, so that was most likely her best chance of seeing him again. "No word from Bill, as usual. He'll be home for Christmas, so that's not so bad. As for Charlie, he's alright. Also coming for Christmas. The whole gang will be here. It's so nice to hear from you again! Are things ok? I mean, you haven't called lately, and I was wondering if everything was alright out there," her mother rushed on. "I'm alright. I'm glad to hear everyone is coming home for Christmas. I really miss Charlie. It's been so long since I've seen him," Scully spoke into the phone. She was going to wait to tell her mother about the cards and flowers, but she thought she'd better do it now, before things continued. "Actually, mom, there is something bothering me," she said quickly. She heard her mother take in a quick breath. "What is it, sweetheart? What's wrong?" Maggie asked with concern. She hated to hear or see her daughter be in pain or have something bothering her. It broke her heart. She'd been through so much already, and she was afraid for her daughter. "Have you given anyone, anyone at all, my new address or phone number?" Scully asked her mother. The information on where she lived was to stay strictly in the family, except for her closest friend Ellen. And she made Ellen swear not to tell anyone, knowing she could trust her friend. "No, honey, you know I wouldn't do that. What makes you ask me that?" Maggie asked. It was true, for the most part. She had only given it to one other person. And she wasn't about to tell her only living daughter who she gave it to. It would break her heart all over again. "Because someone sent a bouquet of roses to my door last night. And in the envelope was one of Mulder's business cards. And some one came up to me at the beach today, and left an invitation to a Halloween party. Underneath the typed stuff was someone's hand writing asked me personally to come. By name. I don't know who could have done it, mom. It's kind of scary," Scully explained to her mother. "That is strange, Dana. No, I haven't given it to anyone. I swear. Are you going to the party?" Maggie asked. She had to lie for her daughter's sake. The time would come when she would learn the truth, but not was definitely not the time. "Yeah, I guess so. It sounds fun. I just hope that this guy doesn't follow me around anymore," Scully said wearily. She had a little too much sun for one day, and she was also tired of thinking about whoever was behind all this. "Well, I hope you have a good time, Dana. What are you going to wear?" her mother asked her, trying to change the subject. "Actually, mom, that's why I called you. Can you fly down with all your costumes and stuff? I want you to help me out with it," Scully asked her mother. She knew she'd come and help her out. She couldn't say no. "Yes! Of course! I can be down the week of Halloween so we have time to get things ready and I can help you the night of the party. By the way, how long is your hair?" Maggie asked. She had the perfect thing in mind, but the woman had to have the hair for it to look right. "Um, about half way down my back. And it's real thick now," Scully said curiously. She wondered what her mother was up to. She always had some sneaky plan going through her head. "Great, that'll be wonderful. It'll be so good to see you again, Dana." They shared their good-byes and hung up. Scully wondered what all costumes her mother would bring. The party was in two weeks, and that meant her mother would be here in a week. That meant she had plenty of time to clean up the place.
The two spent most of their mornings shopping for things for the costume, and they spent an hour or two in the zoo, numerous coffee shops, and other neat places Maggie had always wanted to visit. The party was on a Friday night. As Thursday rolled around, it was finally time to try on the costumes. Scully could only choose one, obviously, and she ended up with an 18th century dress, made of navy blue taffeta fabric, pearls sewn everywhere along with gems of all different colors. She was most certainly going to make a good impression tonight. The gown was very tight around the waist and chest, she was laced into a corset, but somehow managed to breath. The skirt consisted of two layers; the one on the bottom was black silk, a thick strip down the front was floral and had gold lace on the edges, the other made of the navy fabric, a strip of gold on the edges of that, and it opened in the front to reveal the skirt underneath. The corset left quite a bit to the imagination. It revealed a lot of cleavage, something that she liked. The top part of it was also navy, jewels sewn on all over, and it sparkled in the light. The sleeves were very loose, white, and had a few navy gems at the wrist, where the fabric flowed out over her hands. Rings were scattered on her slender fingers, and sapphires hung from her ears. A small, black velvet choker was around her neck, a tiny tear-drop pearl hung from that. She also wore her little gold cross, it seemed to match-somewhat. As for her hair, it was up in a ponytail at the crown of her head, spiral curls hanging all over and pinned up on by her forehead, some fell loose and dangled around her neck and face. "Wow," her mother said. "It looks better on you than it did on me." Scully stared at her reflection in the full length mirror. She did look fabulous. The party was less than an hour away, and she had a half an hour's drive to get there. It was being held in a kind of deserted area of San Diego, somewhere where all the rich people lived, all the large houses were. "I can't thank you enough, Mom. It's great," Scully exclaimed. She picked up her cape/coat and purse, and grabbed the sequined mask they bought, and headed towards the door. "You have fun, you hear me? You could use the excitement. I think you'll get some compliments, and some stares. Who knows, you might even meet someone," her mother said softly. She was hoping that her daughter would get going. She was expecting some company very shortly. Maggie watched her daughter get into her car and start it. She drove away, and as soon as the taillights were out of sight, she flashed the porch light. The door of the car right across the street opened and the man walked up the steps to the apartment. He knocked three times on the door, as he was instructed to do. It opened a minute later and Maggie let him in. "Fox, come in," she said with a smile. "Does she suspect anything?" he asked nervously. He walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch. The same couch that was in Scully's old apartment. The same furniture, only a few different pieces. "I--I got her a ring," he stuttered. He was shaking as he pulled out a tiny velvet black box, and opened it to show the ring to Maggie. She gasped at it. It was a gold band, a large diamond in the center and two little sapphires on either side of it. It was definitely an engagement ring. "Fox, she'll love it. I just know it," Maggie said enthusiastically. "I hope so," he said. He ran a shaky hand through his shaggy brown hair. It hadn't changed, and neither had his sideburns. "So tonight's the night?" Maggie asked, but it was more of a statement. She knew that the answer was yes, but she was just checking to make sure he hadn't changed his mind. He came to her less than a year ago, begging for Scully's new address. He was a mess, scarred and scared. He came back from the boxcar, the Native Americans saved his life, and Scully had left. She thought he was dead, and that really upset him. He thought that all his work and searching would have rubbed off on her and she wouldn't have given up so easily. He came to Maggie, desperate for help. Skinner had just shrugged him off, saying she had quit two days after the explosion in the quarry. He was never any help anyways. So Maggie had taken him in and accepted him as another son. She cleaned him up and helped him locate Scully. Somewhere along there, he'd won a lot of money. He bought a house in California near Scully, and had hired a full staff, and had gotten into painting. He had always been into it, but had kept his gallery a secret from Scully. It was in his closet, which she had never seen. He made a gallery at his new house and became good friends with his butler. He moved out to his home a month before he started sending her things. He and Maggie had devised a secret plan. And now the mission was in action and it was time. He was going to propose to her tonight at the party. "You should go, Fox. It's time. You want things to be ok, and Dana needs you. You need her, so go." Maggie stood and helped him up. She led him to the door and gave him a hug. "I just hated seeing the hurt in her eyes when she slammed the door and didn't take in the flowers, as she read that card, and when I talked to her on the beach. I wish she would have realized it was me," he said into Maggie's hair. "I know, I hated seeing that hurt for years, Fox. I went through the same thing when you two were children, and it killed me to see Dana like that again when she moved out here. She looked remotely happy when she left though," Maggie said sadly. She pulled away from Fox and opened the door for him. He looked at her and smiled. "I can't wait to see the look on her face. It was really nice to have you to plan this with, Maggie. I'll stop buy in a few days and check in. Although I'm sure Dana will tell you everything later," he said, walking out the door. "I'm going to get into costume and I'll see you in a while. You don't want to keep your guests waiting," Maggie said, pushing him out the door. He said good-bye and left, heading towards his large home at a high speed. He prayed he didn't get pulled over. Maggie got into costume and admired her appearance in the mirror. It was a long dress, a small train trailing behind her. Black with sequins all over. It was tight on her slim body, and she had a black mask to go with it. She put up her hair with black bobby pins and sprinkled glitter in her hair, and put a little on her cheeks. It was time for her to go. Scully pulled up to the enormous house and slowed to a stop, gathering her things and stepping out so the valet could park the car. The driveway seemed never ending, and she was taken aback when she saw the house. It was at least 4 stories tall, each floor brightly light up. In the lower floor, all the windows were dimmed, flashing lights behind the curtains. A strobe light, most likely, Scully thought. Shadows of people dancing were all over. Through the huge front doors she could see people talking, servants taking jackets and pointing them to the dance rooms. Scully stepped through the doors and removed her coat. She handed it to a young man, and he put it in a gigantic closet with what looked like thousands of other coats. She put on her mask and stepped towards the dancing rooms. "Welcome, Miss Scully," an older man in a tux said as he bowed down to her. She stepped up to him and started to lift her mask but the man stopped her. "You know unmasking is at midnight, don't take it off now and ruin the surprise. Even though I've already seen many pictures of you. The master talks about you constantly," the man said. He held out a hand to her and she took it. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand. "I'm Jeffory. And I must say that the master was quite right," he said, releasing her hand. "He's very pleased you could make it." "Well, thank you, whatever he has said. Where can I find you if I need to talk to you again? I might be needed some information," Scully asked him. She looked at him suspiciously through her mask. "I'll be watching this main hallway tonight. Shall I fetch the master for you?" he asked her. She thought about saying yes, but decided not to. "No thank you, Jeffery. That won't be necessary. Thank you for your time," Scully said. She started to walk away and she heard him mumble something, but she had already walked away. She was headed down the hall always, to get into one of the dancing rooms, the one that had the strobe light. She passed many painted pictures along the way, most of them of a girl and boy. She looked for names under the pictures, but there were none. There were family pictures, one with the two of them and their parents, and another with 4 kids and their parents. Two girls and two boys in that picture. She recognized her sister, then her mother and father, and her brothers and herself. Whoever had painted these, knew her family well if they had a picture of them. She stared at that one, noticing how much detail was put into it. It was amazing. She continued on into the dancing crowd, finding a place with chairs and sitting down. The bodice on her was super tight, and she felt she could breathe better if she sat down. Music was blaring, a flashy new dance tune that had just come out on the radio last week. It must have been a recording. She looked around her to see if she could find anyone she knew, even though she didn't know that many people except for the people she worked with. Lights flashed all different colors around her, but she was sitting in a small corner that was remotely dark. She prayed someone would come and ask her to dance. "Good evening, Master Fox," Jeffery said as Mulder walked in. He seemed in a hurry, so he left questions out of it. "You're friend Miss Scully has already arrived and is in the most beautiful dress. She is truly stunning, Master. We just had the most interes---" "Just shut up and tell me where she went, Jeff," he said, interrupting his faithful servant. "Down there," he said, pointing to the room where Scully entered. "She noticed the picture that you painted of her family and was quite shocked. I'm not sure she suspects anything yet. She looked very confused." Mulder stared down the hall as if he was expecting her to walk out and leave, but he knew she wouldn't. She was smarter than that, and she knew she couldn't say no when he asked her to dance. "Thanks Jeff, you know what to do when I come out," he said, taking out a $50 and handing it to him. He walked down the hallway and stopped to give some woman a hug. She was dressed in a tight, black sequined dress, dark hair pinned up. She placed a small kiss on his cheek and hugged him back. She too was staring up at her family painting. "I really wish I could have told her, Fox," Maggie whispered, as if there was someone around to hear her. No one was in sight except the staff. It looked like everyone had gone into a dance room. "Me too, but tonight's the night. I have to go find her. I can't wait any longer. I have to feel her in my arms, see her beautiful eyes again, I have to be with her. I'll call you tomorrow," Fox said softly. He quickly kissed Maggie on the cheek and entered the room, his hazel eyes searching for his ex-partner and (hopefully) soon-to-be wife. He found her sitting in a plush green chair by the corner of the room, bent over fixing her shoe. He slipped on his mask, all white and very plain, and walked over towards her. He greeted many people along the way, mostly people he didn't recognize and a few of his friends from the Bureau. Langly, Beyers, and Frohike were in the other corner, and flashed him a thumbs up as he looked at them. Frohike was a bit upset, but Mulder knew he'd get over it. She never liked him anyways. He continued on and walked up to her. She had let her hair grow long. He always thought she'd look good with long hair, and he was right. She look marvelous in her costume. He had only seen a glimpse of it through her curtains and as she walked to her car, but up close she looked better than ever. He pictured her from the last time he saw her, her face lined with concern, her eyes wide and frightened, her mind a mess. She had just shot him and was taking care of him in her extra room. He missed that Scully, the Scully who took care of him when he was sick, who cared for him when he was upset about Samantha, who had shared numerous stake-outs in hundreds of different rental cars on many occasions. He missed her so much. She looked up to see him staring down at her. She took his hand and he led her out onto the dance floor. He was much taller than her, by almost half a foot. He reminded her of Mulder. He was always so much taller than her. She always had to look up at him to see his lop-sided grin and almost never serious looks. She wished she could see those grins today, right now. Mulder looked down into her eyes, which had grown dull with sadness and anger. She looked as radiant as ever, but her eyes...He thought he would never see that sparkle again. He wanted to tell her right then and now that he was who he was and propose to her, but that would ruin the plan. He had to get her to go to the gallery. She had to see just how much he missed her and that he was still alive. "What's your name?" he asked her. "Dana, what a pretty name. You look like a Dana," he said. The tone of his voice when he spoke her name struck her as familiar, and she loved the way it sounded. Scully gently moved her head up so he could see it better. His touch made her skin tingle. So had Mulder's. Just little touches, his hand on her elbow, his hand at the small of her back leading her somewhere, hugging her in the worst of times. "It's beautiful. I'm sure the man who gave it to you is somewhere out there, watching over you right now. I bet you were in love," Mulder said, giving her clue after clue. She looked confused. The song was coming to an end, and it was time to make his move. He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. They were as soft as he'd remembered. His tongue entered her mouth and he explored her inside. She whimpered softly, but relaxed in his hold. He pulled away from her as the song ended. She looked surprised but he saw a spark in her eyes, like she'd remembered something. She knew his kiss, well. "Not everything dies, Dana. Even me," he said, walking away from her, leaving her staring into the crowds behind him. She knew who he was, but couldn't believe it. She had just kissed the man she thought she'd lost. Twice. Jeffery saw Mulder walk out of the room and head towards the massive staircase in the back of the hall, leading to every room in the house. He nodded as he walked by, knowing everything was as planned. When she walked out looking for him, which Mulder knew she would, Jeffery was to take his time leading her to the portrait gallery. There, she would stand amazed at the many pictures of herself and them together. And he would make his move at midnight, unmasking himself and revealing to her that he was still around. He was halfway up the stairs and on his way to the painting gallery when Scully moved out the doors of the loud room. She was approaching Jeffery. "Hello Jeffery," she said as she walked up to him. He smiled at her and started to bow. "Don't bother Jeffery, I need your help," Scully said. He stopped bowing and stood up straight. "What can I do for you, Miss Scully?" he asked, his smile fading. He looked more serious. Scully looked around them, noticing a short woman with a long black dress and dark hair admiring the paintings in the far end of the hallway. She thought the woman looked a little like her mother, but that was impossible. Her mother was at her apartment watching the place. "Did you see a tall man walk--" Scully started. "Follow me, Miss Scully," Jeffery said, interrupting her. He started down the hall towards the stairs, and she had to hurry to catch up. They traveled up many stairs.
Title: Fox and Dana: Final Fate Summary: Continuing of "Fox and Dana: Together Forever" Pre-XF. Mulder and Scully are bound to meet sometime, why not now? Author's note: This is the last part. I'd love to hear what you all think. I spent a lot of time on this one... "I danced with him, didn't I?" Scully asked. "He was wearing a white mask, wasn't he?" She realized she had been dancing with the owner of the home. Whoever it was who was sending her flowers and notes was the man she had just danced with. Jeffery turned towards the doors, and he paused before he answered. "Yes, you did." "Where did he run off to?" Scully asked him, giving him a pleading glare. "You'll find out soon enough, Miss Scully," he answered her. He couldn't say anything more or else the master would have his hide. He opened the doors the rest of the way and let Scully walk in. She gasped as she saw what filled the room. It was filled with paintings, sculptures, pictures-and everything else that could hold a picture-of her. Most of them were sketches, a lot of them unfinished. Some were half painted, but a majority of them were fully painted. The painting above the fireplace mantel was the largest, and the one that looked like it had taken the longest. It was of her...and Fox Mulder. They stood together, his arm around her waist, and her hand on his shoulder. They were both dressed for work, FBI badges hanging from their jackets. Smiles brightened their faces. Underneath the painting was a real photo in a silver frame. It must have been from a party for the FBI. It was days before... Scully's eyes wandered to the small table next to the door. On it was a picture of herself and Mulder at a young age. They had their arms around each other's waists and were kissing. *Oh, I remember the day mom took this. It was the week before Daddy told us we were moving away,* Scully thought sadly. It was the day Missy was taking pictures. She must have sent him this one. Next to that was a picture of them from their only Homecoming together. She was in a silky green dress that accented her hair and eyes, decorated with sequins and reached down to the floor. Her hair was pinned up and very similar to the way it was now, only shorter. Scully absent-mindedly touched her mass of red hair. He was standing there in a black, dress silk shirt and black slacks. They were voted cutest couple for that year. On the next picture, she and Mulder were huddled in a blanket at a football game. They were soaked. It was the Homecoming football game and they had attended, even though it was pouring rain. Scully remembered it started raining right after kick-off. And they couldn't stop laughing. Scully moved on to a table that was closer to the center of the room, which was filled with candid shots of her. Lots of them were from in the office, her turning around and making faces at the camera. She honestly couldn't remember having that many pictures taken. A lot of school photos filled the table too. Her mother must have sent them. She could barely recognize herself at such a young age. The next table, this one being the largest of them all, held more pictures from the FBI, most of them from Halloween, Christmas, and other events. Formal events and casual, anything that was a party. In a Halloween photo, they were dressed as each other. She was in one of his oversized suits, large shoes, and had her hair slicked back. He had somehow fit into one of her skirt suits. And he had on a red wig that almost matched her hair completely. Scully remembered that they had won for best costumes. Everyone got such a riot out of them. Mr. and Mrs. Spooky, they called them. At first she thought the stares and names were kind of insulting, but she saw how Mulder took it and learned to go along with it. They were practically married, after all. Scully looked around a little more, seeing some sculptures and more photos. She was stunned at how many pictures there were of her. Whoever this was obviously had talked a lot to her mother. "This can't be," she said just above a whisper, as she saw her FBI badge sitting on a table. Mulder's was right next to it. "It can be, and it is," someone said from behind her. Scully spun around and saw the man she danced with earlier that night. The chimes from the hallway clock chimed midnight, and he spoke once again. "It's time to unmask," he said. He pulled off his mask and Scully stared in disbelief. She had figured it had to be him, but now that the mask was gone, she was scared to death. Fox Mulder was alive. "Mulder? How?" Scully managed to ask. Her voice choked up in her throat and she was surprised at how calm she sounded. "It's not Mulder anymore, Dana. " He smiled a little. "It's Fox." Scully slowly moved towards him, hoping that it wasn't her imagination. Tears started to fall down her cheeks, and he reached out to wipe it away. His touch left the same tingle that it left while they were dancing, and the same that it was years ago. She let him touch her face, and his hand lowered to her shoulder, pulling her closer. She willed herself to move to him. Scully leaned on his shoulder and cried. He hugged her tightly and she wrapped her arms around his waist, never wanting to let go. But she pulled away from his grasp. Scully stared up at his face, memorizing it for the millionth time. The shining hazel eyes, sparkling love. The tiny mole on his clean-shaven cheek. The scar at the base of his jaw--- Scar? Her hand reached up to touch the tiny scar. It was small, nothing more than a hairline scratch. Only about and inch or two long, lining his jaw line. As she touched it, he jerked back a little. He held out a small black box and put it in in the space where his face had been. "What is it?" Scully asked. She spoke so softly that she barely heard herself. There was a sparkle in his eye, and it was very mischievous. She opened the box and gasped. A gold band lay inside the bed of velvet, and a diamond was centered on top. Tiny, tiny roses were carved in the thin band, all the way around. "Look on the inside, Dana," he instructed. She did so. There was a tiny inscription that said: FOX AND DANA, TOGETHER FOREVER The writing was so small, but it was still readable. Scully started crying all over again. "Fox Mulder, if this is what I think it is, you're answer is yes," Scully cried! He slipped the ring on her finger and hugged her tightly, never letting her go. They were finally together. Again and forever.
A truly bizarre story, don't you think? Some call it fate, but I prefer to call it love. Both work in mysterious ways, if you ask me. I sit here, telling you this story because I want you to hear about true love. And the fact that I'm dying of an inoperable tumor invading my body and is killing me slowly. My husband's wedding band is on my neck, right next to the gold cross he gave many years ago. He died, the poor man, not 4 years ago. Someone shot my dear love, who spent so much time in his lovely portrait gallery. In the front hall of our enormous home sits the largest of his works. It's of the two of us, on that night we last met at the costume party. He was a wonderful artist. He loved his work. And me. All of his paintings were finished, completed. As if I was the part of him that was incomplete and when I came back, I filled that space. I completed him and he completed me. I miss him so much now. The Fox Mulder I married died many years back. Now it's my turn. He waits, silently, invisible, beside me. I can tell. I can feel his presence. The cancer is worse now that it was when I started my story. I feel my heart slow, my body growing weak, and my breathing getting less and less. I, Dana Katherine Scully-Mulder, have told my story of miracles...and fate. Now I die. I hear him call to me. He's calling out to me, pulling me towards him. "Welcome home, sweetheart," he calls. We stand there in the ballroom, and start to dance around, to music that isn't there, with people that can't be seen. With love that can no longer be torn anymore. The End
"If there's iced tea in that bag, it could be love" -Mulder "Must be fate, Mulder. Root beer." -Scully
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