"Dana? Dana?" Walker gently shook Scully. "What happened?" He looked wide-eyed at her

"I don't know, but you were right Mulder. These things, messages, what ever they are, they are very direct. What division does Saunders work within?" She sat upright, and looked up at Byrnes.

"I'm not sure exactly, he could be anywhere within the compound." Byrnes stated.

"He was here." Said Scully defiantly.

"How do you know?" Mulder asked.

"I don't, but I could feel him. There is something not right here. I know when he is around. I believe that I …that I can read his mind, if that's the right sense to place it." She picked her self up from the floor and sprinted out the door. Walker looked at Mulder for answers, but he was as stumped as Walker was.

"When Scully arrives back, or whenever you next see her Mulder, inform her that she'll be needing to prepare her self for a trip to the forest, as I'll inform the Assistant Director of our whereabouts." Byrnes also walked out the door, heading for Skinner's office. Walker looked at Mulder once more.

"Are you feeling ok buddy? You don't seem to be speaking much today." Walker said.

"I've had a bad day, I'm sure I'll sleep it off." Mulder began for the door.

"If you think that'll do it then." He sighed, following off after Mulder.

Mulder decided to waste his anger away in the basketball courts. As he pounded the ball down along the court, heaving it into the air at the steel ring, he'd unconsciously told himself that he couldn't be bothered, and only pushed himself further and further until he was exhausted, feeling as though he could collapse at any minute.

He imagined he was back in the hallway of Scully's apartment, and she had collapsed for the second time. He seriously had believed that time she would be gone forever. But when her eyes opened and she awoke again to her former self, Mulder almost leaped out of his mind. It was like experiencing a Nightmare for real.

The sound of the basketball bouncing upon the gravel of the court could not be heard, as Mulder thought hard to himself. 'What was it, what was the key, that had brought Scully back? Was there something that perhaps could not be taken away from her, something so embedded within her deeply, that the reaches of the darkness could not touch it, rather hide it.' Mulder pounded the ball harder.

'Had I not crossed the path to her, in a means that had never been explored before, had I not kissed her, would she have continued waking to the world of the unknown day after day? If only I had not.."

Anger began to build inside Mulder, as he felt betrayed, yet with out understanding. He had no reason to show his ignorance towards anyone, except for his own selfish conquests. He was not only destroying himself, but he was taking Scully along. Mulder kicked the ball hard across the court, watching it sail through the air, before turning away.

He had searched for Scully when he had been at the Bureau, not terribly hard though, as he was still coming to terms with what had happened a couple of hours ago. It was as though the moment she spoke those words "Mulder..I can't do this." his whole world was taken from beneath him, leaving him out in the open to re-establish is way of life. Perhaps he didn't have feelings for her in a way that he expected? Too much had happened in one day, and it probably made him feel crazy, or over active. Either way, he felt as though he was lying to himself. To live a lie you believe in, to labour a lie, is like..is like….what? Mulder shook his head. He slumped upon the sofa within his living room.

Mulder could remember the time when Scully had told him she had cancer, and when she had stayed in the Holy Cross-Memorial Hospital Hospital, and how frail she appeared. And when he held her, it broke him to believe that he may never see her the next day after, as he had per usually done. And for so many things they had been through together, he laughed to himself sadly as he remembered the last time he had spent time with her in a forest.

"I'm cold Scully," He'd said. "Did you know that the quickest way to get warm is to get naked in a sleeping bag with someone else?" Or something along those lines. "Well, if it rains sleeping bags Mulder, you might get lucky."

Cheap one Mulder, you're sounding just as bad as Walker does, he told himself. He decided to give Scully a call, just to let her know that she had to prepare herself for a trip to the forest, where he had spent so much of his time chasing the truth and the lies, just for some answers. And he noticed that the red light was on, which meant that someone had left a message on his machine. Mulder pressed the button.

"Mulder? It's me. Listen, I have something to tell you, ". Scully sounded as though she was having trouble with something. "After I left the room today, I went to visit Ivory Nelson, and I discovered something strange Mulder. It's like I can communicate with him telepathically. I don't know how to explain it. But that's not all" There was a pause. "Call me." The phone message finished.

Mulder sat for a moment, before picking up the phone and dialling Scully's number. After several tries, he let the phone ring on, receiving no answer, and decided that Walker would have told Scully anyway about the field trip. Could it be possible that Scully could read any other person's mind?

Mulder couldn't imagine Scully being that evasive, as she had respect for people's privacy. Mulder slowly let himself fall into a dark sleep along the black sofa, as the night passed by.

Scully woke with a start. Ever since she had her memory taken away from her, she always had the same re-occurring dream over and over again. It began in the forest; rows of native pine trees rolling on for eternity, as the world was still and quiet. A silent weapon for a quiet war. A mind against a mind. Mulder was there. But it was him that she was fending for. Fighting for. Dark hands were sweeping across his mind, taking him from her as she had been from him, and she was fighting against her will. But against whom? It was a dark dream, never leaving her alone, until she awoke suddenly. Voices in her head. Scully was tired of having to face the day, with Mulder being left behind some dark illusion. She felt responsible for his destructiveness which she could see coming from deep inside him. And it hurt her even more when he refused to face her. She felt her throat tighten, and restrained herself from crying. It was too much for her, and perhaps a trip to the forest would do her good.

Yet again, it was one of those solemn trips along the highway; Scully following the division lines with her eyes over again, curving out at intersections. Mulder, keeping his utter concentration upon the road. Byrnes and Walker sat quietly in the back, trying to come up with a conversation. Scully had to admit they weren't doing so badly. They had managed to get a few words out of Mulder, mostly yes, no, or I don't know. Scully had even spoken a few sentences.

She was fed up with his ignorance. What the hell was wrong with him? She could not display her attitude as widely as he was, it was as though he had a sign pinned to him saying 'The world is full of peace, love, and understanding and then there's shit. But I'll be leaving soon.' Scully sighed, before flicking on the radio channel.

'One is the loneliest number to love or do,

Two can be as bad as one,

It's the loneliest number since the number one.

No is the saddest experience, you'll ever know.

Yes it's the saddest experience you'll ever know.

'Cause one is the loneliest number that you'll ever know.

One is the loneliest number, even worse than two.

Yeah.

Scully moved uncomfortably in her seat, listening to the song, the words, the sounds, wishing it would turn to the next song, which predicability could be just as fitting.

It's just no good any more since you went away,

No one spend my time just making a rhymes of yesterday

One is the loneliest number, One is the loneliest number,

One is the loneliest number, Since you went away…

Since you went away…

Mulder moved for the radio and flicked it off, abruptly turning the car back to silence. Though such a simple action, it moved Scully, it hurt her. And it made her want to flare out at Mulder. She hated him. She loved him no; she hated him, what's the difference? Why did it have to be so hard?

Byrnes peered out the car window before calling to Mulder to halt.

"Agent Mulder, I do believe that this is the western side of the state Virginian Forests." Walker and Scully hopped out of the doors out onto the road, feeling the slight chill in the air.

"I hope you all brought your hiking boots!" Mulder said in a cheerful tone, as he stooped to the ground for inspection.

"Scully, you sense anything?" Walker cocked his head in her direction.

"Sorry to say so, but this is going to be like searching for a needle in a hay stack. Where do we begin? We have not barely enough information to be even vaguely considering searching, and yet here we are chasing ghosts." Scully looked around out into the endless pine trees. Byrnes peered out, to the horizon. "You're right, this will do us no good."

And yet again, Scully found herself being taken aback by the wave of dizziness, it's sweeping hand reaching for her mind. She held her head.

"He's close, I can feel him." Scully reeled back in alarm. "And he's not alone. But neither is aware of the other, just reaching a destination by some unseen force." Scully opened her eyes, scaling the shadows.

"Where exactly?" Mulder's voice sounded hollow.

"Hard to say exactly, perhaps seven miles that way." Scully pointed to the direction of the sun, as it finally lay to rest.

"Mulder, keep an eye on Scully." Byrnes called back, as she and Walker began heading through the forest.

"What?!" Scully exclaimed, as she realised she had said that a bit too loud for her liking. Mulder turned to look at her, as she looked back, before trudging her way through the forest.

For what seemed like hours of walking, and silence, Scully decided to strike up a conversation.

"Mulder?" She hesitated.

"What?" Mulder snapped back. She could feel him staring her down from behind.

"Mulder, I need to talk to you. I'd like some answers."

"On what exactly?" He said shallowly. Scully grew more anxious. She had already anticipated his lack of self-control.

"Mulder, when were in the elevator, I didn't mean to, no what I meant to say is. Wait. Just let me rephrase this." Scully took a deep breath, knowing that Mulder was purposely trying to make her feel as uncomfortable as possible, pushing his hurt feelings onto her.

"Mulder, what happened to you? Why are you being so ignorant towards me?" She turned around to face him.

"Scully, how can I spell it out to you? The moment I burst into your apartment the night your mind was taken from you, to see you sprawled across the floor, I knew that things would never be the same. I was alone, and I was afraid. But I was afraid for you." Mulder closed his eyes, as if picturing the whole scene.

"And you had vanished. Leaving me with nothing." Mulder looked into her eyes. "It pained me to see you that way…"

"Mulder! I was there, you know." Scully interrupted, trying to bring him to the point.

"But when you fell for the second time, it was as though I was there, with you. And I knew that for the last time, had you not awoken, I would be gone. You had taken me with you." Mulder paused.

"But that was only because I cared for you, far more than any words can express. You had me."

"And what do you know of my feelings on this issue? I'm just as involved in this as you are?!" Scully took a step forward, holding her stance. "Ever since I told you,.." She paused, her throat tightening. "That I couldn't go through with it, it was a lie! And I have been labouring a lie against you, and against myself!, and if only you knew how I.."

"You showed no insight whatsoever, on how you affected me Scully. I thought that I could see you, and I died that night because of you." Mulder looked into her eyes.

"Mulder! Don't do this to me, don't!" Scully's eyes were edging with tears. "I can't do this without you, and if you refuse to end showing your ignorance continuously as you have been, then I don't believe I can be with you here, now, or ever after." Scully flared out at Mulder, her final showdown, bursting with hurt and anger, striking him across the face.

And the whole world ceased in silence.

Mulder did not move an inch, as he watched Scully turn away from him. But acting on impulsion, he reached out and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her forcefully towards him, passionately kissing her on the lips, as he embraced her.

Through her tears, she let go of herself, falling back upon Mulder reaching for him, as she had so wanted to do for a long time. She pushed against him, kissing him harder, over and over, as though there was no tomorrow as they fell to the ground in a heap, struggling over each other in a wild sprawl

. She ran her hand through his hair, as their worlds merged into one. Possessed by the other, reunited, in the earthly knowledge of existence, against the forces of time. Mulder seductively kissed her lightly upon the neck, as she lay their in the grassing, holding to him close. She held his face in her hands, staring deeply into his eyes, before embracing into yet another fiery kiss

. Then suddenly, unexpectantly, they both halted, feeling the force of a mind, rip through them both, discretely searching. Scully buried her head in Mulder's chest to block out the pain, as she felt Mulder grip tightly to her. Until she realised what was happening. Mulder was slipping from her. His mind was being taken.

Scully willed herself against the pain, blocking it out, as she extended her own mind into that of the other, fighting. And then she knew that this moment was already set. She had foreseen it coming, every night. It was the same dream, except now it was too surreal.

'And among the darkness, there was a light. Another mind within the struggle, to protect the unseen. It called to me, telling me to find Mulder, to bring him back before he left the earthly existence, as he was the only person that could save me, as I had to him. And I knew that my job was finished here, that I surrendered to the battle, despite my own judgement.'

It was dark where I was, and I knew now what Scully had experienced. The hopelessness against the power. To know your fate was set before you, and there was nothing you could do to better it. It was there that I knew I would die. Not of my physical state, but of my mental state, where I would go, I knew not.

All that I could think of was the feeling of being deceived, but not due to anyone's cause. And then there was a mind, the shadow had been lifted. A strong secure feeling had reached me, I was sure it was Scully. I tried to reach it, but within moments it had left me. And I felt myself slip away, blinded by a brilliant white light.'

"Mulder!" There was a voice. "Mulder!" And I knew that I must leave the place where I was, to return. A hand reached out and pulled me, thrusting me into the earthly body, and I knew who it was. It was not Scully, but rather the other female whom I had known that day, and yet I found myself in a state of confusion. "Forget what you have seen, for your eye's are deceitful, Trust no one and Deny everything.

"Mulder!!" And I opened my eyes.

"Jesus Mulder!" Scully exclaimed. She forced me to sit up right, and began placing her hands against my forehead, and then my throat, checking for the pulsating rhythm.

"Scully, your hands are cold!" Mulder exclaimed, before pulling her closer to him. "What happened?" Scully asked with concern. Mulder smiled.

"You were there." And then he knotted his eyebrows. "And so was someone else." He said thoughtfully.

"Byrnes?" Scully said suddenly.

"Who is that Scully?" Mulder looked at her with surprise.

"I don't know Mulder, it just came to mind. Speaking of which, I do not believe that my abilities are there any more Mulder. They're gone. Oh Darn! Now I can't read your mind any more, things were getting interesting." Scully she said before raising her face to peer deep into Mulder's eyes. "I'm sorry Mulder." She said softly. He smiled before kissing her gently on the lips.

"Mulder, can you hear something?" Scully said abruptly, straining her head forward. Mulder stopped short to listen for a sound.

"There is a voice.." He began, listening harder.

"Agent Walker!" Scully exclaimed. "It totally slipped my mind."

Scully turned, as Mulder began walking in the direction where the voice was coming from, imagining Walker flailing aimlessly through the forest.

"C'mon Scully, we've got to go find him!" Mulder called back.

"Mulder!," Scully hissed, chasing after him. "Mulder! How many times do you think that we would get the opportunity to leave Walker here, alone in the forest by himself? After all he has done, I think her deserves a bit of solitary confinement." Scully said coyly, remembering all the sleazy passes he had made at her. Mulder smiled in return.

"One is the loneliest number to love or do, Two can be as bad as one, but personally I think that's crap." Mulder said aloud thoughtfully frowning, as she playfully hit him. Drawing him closer she gave him a long hard kiss, grabbing his hand tightly, pulling him along after her.

"That's not how it goes." Then she frowned. "Mulder, Nothing Vanishes without a trace."

- Scully eXtremis The End

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