Title: "this thing" Author: Riva Rating: g or pg Summary: "i believe in this thing.." Category: mood vinigette post episode for "all things" Disclaimer: these characters don't belong to me. but after the evidence I have seen in "The UnNatural" and "all things" I think that M&S should belong to GA and DD, forget everyone else :) ...especially Fox Network...grrr....Author's notes: The author hereby refutes all liability for this fic, as it was written at 12:00 am. But if you like it, you are MORE than welcome to send feedback to rogueangel10@juno.com or DrScully@imneverwrong.com, where it is lovingly drooled over and promptly answered. sorry about the use of no capitals. I don't usually write like this, but as I said before, this is mood vinigette, and that's the mood I was in. ;) Guess I'm a little late to jump on the post-all things bandwagon. Oh well. I wasn't going to jump on it at all. But I was up late, and I wasn't in the mood to work on my upcoming case-file/thriller "360 Maple Grove" so this churned out instead. This fic starts out directly after the teaser scene fades out. riva-star productions presents.... x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x -~-~-~-~--~-"this thing"~-~--~-~-~--~-~-- x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x scully turns her back on mulder's bed, tearing her eyes away from his prone form, facing the entrance to the living room. she draws a breath, resolutely ignoring the nearly tangible pull she feels when she hears mulder shift behind her, and murmur something unintelligible. she walks across the wood floor of the living room and entryway, takes one last look back toward the bedroom... and walks out. x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x mulder wakes slowly, his eyes resisting as though drugged. perhaps they are, in a way. he smiles slightly in his half sleep, rolling over and stretching his arm out....and then awakens as suddenly as though someone had dowsed him in cold water. she was gone. x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x scully walks. her heels make a soft clicking against the pavement, the chilled morning breeze causes goosebumps to rise on her bare legs. moisture from the rain of the night rises in steam where it is kissed by the morning sun. a coffee shop comes into view around the corner. scully moves toward it, her steps light. she walks inside, the chime above the door heralding her arrival. the sweetly bitter smell of coffee and fresh baked croissants fills her senses. it seems to scully to be the smell of morning. the smell of hope. x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x the key opens the lock with a click. mulder hears the door open from the bedroom and goes toward it. He reaches the entryway as scully walks in. his eyes take her in like a balm on a wound. she stands there, holding the brown paper bag in her left hand. from it wafts the smell of strong coffee and freshly baked bread. "you're awake." she says with a smile. he nods, eyes never leaving hers. she clears her throat. "i got breakfast." she says simply. he covers the ground between them in an instant, taking her into his arms and burying his face in the crook of her shoulder, heedless of the bag in her arms. "i thought you left." he sighs into her collarbone, more questions in his tone than the obvious. "oh mulder." she breathes, reaching her free hand up to caress the back of his neck. "i don't want you to leave scully." he says in a pleading tone. "promise me you won't ever leave me." "i can't promise that mulder." scully says gently. "but i can promise you that even as i believe all things happen for a reason, i believe all things lead me here." she sets the bag on the floor, bringing up both hands to draw his face up to meet hers, their foreheads touching. "and that this thing in right." he takes in a ragged sigh, wanting to believe. "mulder," his name is a whisper. "i told you once that i wouldn't change a thing. that i had no regrets. that is still true, mulder. i *don't* *regret* *anything* -especially not you." she smiled. "because every choice leads to this moment. and this is where i am meant to be." he smiles. "i don't deserve you." "no," she puts a finger to his lips. "that's where you are wrong. you do." she laughs softly. "you do deserve me. we deserve each other. for better or worse." he nods. "better or worse." the tip of his nose grazes across the bridge of hers. "i love you scully." a lump forms in her throat. she nods. "i love you too." she giggles suddenly, feeling giddy, as though as weight has been lifted. "i love you mulder!" she says it louder, the laugh infecting her voice. he grins and lifts her off her feet with his embrace. they twirl. they eat breakfast together. they skip work and go back to bed. they get in trouble for it. but somehow, they don't care. because they have found the secret of all things...and all things lead to a life full of love. x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x -~-~-~--~-~-~-~-Finis-~-~-~--~-~-~--~-~-- x~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~xx~x~x well, can't do anymore damage around here....:) if this fic evoked ANY emotional reaction in you....good, bad or some place in the middle....please, please, PLEASE send feedback to DrScully@imneverwrong.com or rogueangel10@juno.com all done... bye-bye!!