Disclaimer: You know who -- CC, 1013 Productions and Fox Network own Fox Mulder, Dana Scully and any other characters you recognise from The X Files. I'm only borrowing them temporarily (sadly) and I will return them in one piece (I hope). The characters of Zoe Bateman and Doug Shelton are the creation of Jess Archibald and are used with her permission. Also the lyricss are from "You and Me - Him and Her" a duet written and sung by Dolly Parton and Pardon Wagoner and "It Had To Be You" as sun by Harry Connick Jnr. Author notes: This story follows my previous story "Me and My Friend" and began as a result of my not knowing whether I should stop the story or go on. Vickie pointed out an idea and I decided that this could form the idea for a sequel. This can be read alone although you will understand it a bit better by reading the original. Thanks also to Vickie Moseley once again for her editing skills and pointers. Summary: Mulder arrives on Scully's doorstep with a surprise and a night together leads to more ominous things. Set after Memento Mori. Rating: G. No violence, no sex, just characterisation. Archives: S, A, T(sort of) **************** The X Files In Limine by Missy missy@lexicon.net **************** When I am unhappy and feeling lonely And this whole world of mine comes tumbling down, You are the someone on whom I can depend, It is nice to know that I have you my friend. When I get crazy, you understand me, You overlook the things I don't mean to say, You lay beside me whenever things go wrong, I am never lonely knowing you're along. We share the good times, we share the bad times, We meet life head on with its up and its downs, Some people tell you that life is a lonely ride, But not for us, we travel side by side. You and me, the two of us together, We go on and face the world whatever happens, No matter what gets in our way, We see it through, from day to day, Right up until the very end, It's gonna be, me and my friend. **************** Apartment 5 Maryland 8.07 a.m. A golden sprinkle of sunlight refracted through the uncovered window, the rays dancing their way across the bedroom of Dana Scully. As the warmth played across his face, Fox Mulder's nose twitched as he was gradually being drawn out of peaceful slumber. Thoughts of the previous night came cascading forth, flooding his mind with wonder. Jerking upright, he nearly landed on the floor as the rocking chairs was thrown into abrupt action. His thumping heart settled as his anxious gaze fell upon the sleeping form of his partner, her chest rising up and down evenly in calm sleep. Puckering his brow, he ran over what he *though* had happened last night. Two men in black no make that a man and a boy leaning over Sculling doing who knows what and he had sat and watched. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of what *he* believed had happened. His partner had been talking to him telepathically. Her voice had flooded his brain, filling him with a calm rationality that was so like her, pulling him back from killing the two men whom she claimed were here to heal her. No. That couldn't be right, he must have been really out of it to dream that sequence. Dana Scully believing in something other than science for a cure. Now that really had to be a dream. But then he thought back to the Kevin Kryder case and her belief. Wait a moment Kevein Kryder, that was who Scully had said was here to heal her. Along with, now what was the name, yeah Father O'Leary. His mind *definitely* must be playing tricks. Getting out of the chair, he looked around the room for any sign of a break- in or evidence of someone or something having been present. There was nothing. Leaving Scully to sleep a bit longer, he walked into the darkness of the kitchen to hear a crunching under his feet. He was glad that he had not removed his shoes the night before or he would have been calling to Scully for first-aid. Flicking o the light, the eclipse of jagged crystal glistened in the artificial light, refracting colours of the rainbow dimly against the floor boards. In contract, the dark pool of blood was a solid congealed mass reminding him of the events of the previous night. Carefully walking past the catastrophe, Mulder put on a fresh pot of coffee before rifling through the cupboards in an effort to locate a dustpan and cleaning fluid. It did not take long before the kitchen was well on it's way to being clean to Scully's standards. Fingers of tingling ran up and down his neck and he felt as though he was being watched. From his crouched position he slowly turned his head, finding the figure of his partner leaning casually against the doorpost. "Always wanted you on your knees before me, Mulder." "So what other fantasies do you dream about?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with the taunt. Dana Sculy's face coloured to almost match her hair. Another one chalked up to him. She admonished herself for having such fair skin. "How are you?" Mulder asked quietly. "I'm fine, Mulder," came the standard answer. And, in truth, she was looking a lot better than the previous night with a touch of colour to her pale skin, not the result of his jest and she looked relaxed. "Take a seat, Scully. I will just put this in the garbage and then I will make you a cuppa." "Mulder, I can make my own." She said, moving towards the coffee pot. "I know very well you are quite capable but this is something I want to do for you." "Scully sat down on the chair allowing him the chance to 'mother' her. Usually she hated being pandered over because most other people thought that she was not able to pull her own weight. But this was not the case with Mulder. "So did you sleep well?" Mulder asked walking back into the kitchen and grabbing milk and eggs from the fridge. "Yes. Like a log." Scully was not about to tell him about the dream she had last night. Remembering the context she thought with a small shake of her head. Noticing Mulder watching her curiously, she hoped that she had not talked in her sleep. "Where's the flour?" "Bottom right cupboard. What're you making?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "Don't you mind me. Just sit, relax and enjoy your coffee", he answered placing the steaming cup under her nose. Taking a sip, she signed. After working with her for four years, Mulder knew just the way she liked her coffee. With his back to her, Mulder swiftly broke the eggs into the bowl with the flour, adding milk and beating the mixture together. Watching his proficiency with the kitchen appliances, she realised that he knew how to cook but just chose not to. While there were a lot of things she knew about Fox Mulder, obviously there were quite a few she did not know. Her mind running through the various things she did know about him and compiling that with her previous night's experience left her out of touch with what he was doing in her kitchen. Before she knew it, she was wrenched from her thoughts by the wafting smell of freshly homemade flapjacks. But they were too thin for flapjacks. She must have frowned because her query was answered. "Pancakes. Not as light as a crepe but not as heavy as a flapjack. I got taught how to make them in England." Again noticing her frown. "It wasn't Phoebe, it was a Dutch exchange student actually. His father owned a restaurant in Holland and he taught me to cook. I think it was that or I starve. I really had had enough of the baked beans on toast, spaghetti on toast. Well, you get the idea." "So am I ever going to taste any of your other culinary skills?" She asked mischeviously after taking a bite of the light pancake. Delicious. "Would you like me to cook dinner for you tonight, Scully?" Well, if this is any example, I should enjoy it thoroughly." "Is that called killing two birds with one stone, Scully?" He shook his head at her back-handed compliment/acceptance. "Sorry. Yes, I would love to have you cook dinner for me this evening." "Okay. You were going to visit your Mom today, weren't you?" "Yeah. We're going shopping." "Good. Well, you make sure you don't come back until about 5.00 p.m. and dinner will be well on it's way to being ready." "Mom's going to be impressed with me spending a whole day with her." Then it dawned on her what he had said. "You will cook here?" "Yes. If that's okay?" "Sure. Fine. Whatever," she replied finishing her pancake before going to get ready for her day with her mother. He smiled. This was another of her stock standard phrases that she tended to use and he had only run a foul with it once hoping never to do so again. But he knew this was a trial given the differences in their personalities and beliefs. **************** It had to be you. It had to be you, I wandered around and finally found the somebody who, could make me be true, could make me be blue, or even be glad, make me feel sad, just thinking of you. Some other's I've seen, might never be mean, might never be cross or try to be boss, but they wouldn't do, for nobody else gives me a thrill with all your faults, I love you still, It had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you. **************** Apartment 5 Maryland 5.29 p.m. Opening the front door to her apartment, Dana Scully's senses were assailed with a variety of fragrances emanating from the kitchen. Following the aroma, she expected to find Mulder slaving over the stove and had a quick quip ready for him. However, she found an impeccably clean kitchen minus the cook with only the vegetables cut and ready in the bowl of water and the smell coming from the oven giving a hint that someone had been there at all. Her eyebrows raised, she went to check on the contents of the oven spreading this wonderful aroma. As she bent down, a subtle cough to clear a throat halted her progress and she jumped backwards guiltily, feeling like she was five years old with her hand caught in the cookie jar. "I wondered where you were." She said, attempting to keep a tight reign on her feeling of being caught out. "I hope you weren't trying to find me in the oven." He commented raising his eyebrows questioningly with a stern look. "I was just going to make sure nothing was burning." She finally stumbled over the valid excuse after thinking of several and discarding them. Mulder decided to give her a break, having made her guilty enough already. "I was only picking up some of the last items I will need for tonight. How was your day with your Mom?" "I feel as though I have shopped from one side of the state to the other and yet I've only come home with the latest offering from Patricia Cornwell." "Why don't you put your feet up and relax while I continue to make dinner." He said placing the paper grocery bag on the kitchen table. "Thanks, Mulder. I might grab a shower to feel a bit life myself again." Scully headed off in the direction of her bedroom. Watching her leave, he silently heaved a sigh of relief. It was hard for him not to protect her more and he had to choose his words carefully so as not to usurp her independence. Pulling a bottle of chilled wine from the grocery bag, he put it in the fridge. **************** Nearly an hour later, Scully came out of her bedroom dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a warm pulloever, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail looking refreshed and relaxed. The shower had not only given her time to clean up but the fingers of water had massaged any tension out of her muscles. Mulder looked up from the fresh salad he was preparing as she entered the kitchen. He was wearing one of her mother's frilly aprons and a quick smirk of laughter flashed across her face. If the guys in the bullpen ever got a whiff of this, the last shred of the reputation he had would be shot. "What're you smiling about, Scully? "Nothing," she replied feigning innocence. "I thought you would have had a lot to smile about. No work, a lovely day with your mother, company for dinner and more importantly, dinner cooked for you." Laughter filled his voice as he knew exactly what she had been smiling about and turned the tables on her. Scully grinned back, not even willing to get into another of their discussions. Mulder seemed to be in fine form this evening and she was already feeling weary after the full day of shopping. With her chin resting on her folded hands, she contentedly watched as he deftly cut up the tomato to finish the beautifully presented salad platter. **************** 7.25 p.m. Scully flicked her spoon neatly across the bottom of the dessert place, gathering the last of the crumbs from the apple tart. Mulder had excelled himself starting with Dutch bitterballs, following by roast beef as the main course and then finished with the delectable tart. He even had provided the accompanying wine from Martha's Vineyard. Looking across the table, the candles flickered slightly as the smallest movement disturbed the perfect shape of the yellow flame. "That was beautiful, Mulder. You can cook for me any time." "You don't know what you would be letting yourself into with that." A grin spread across his face and there was a twinkle in his eye as he brought up his glass of wine and took a sip. Soft music weaved it's gentle strains through the room, the seductive tones playing on his mind. As he looked at the delicate contours of her face in the soft light, Mulder became more aware of how fragile looking she had become since she had begun treatment. However, there was a strength of determination in her character that just overrode that look of fragility, challenging him and whoever else dared, to even question her abilities. Mulder smiled as he thought about some of the times she had regaled going through Quantico and the guys decided to test her out. She ended up being the one smiling, leaving them heaving on the ground. No denying it, she had been panting heavily too but at least she had managed to stay on her feet. He himself knew that she could out-shoot him any day, her accuracy and speed being something that would often startle the uninitiated about the small petite yet strong red-head. "Scully, there was a reason I wanted to be here with you tonight." Mulder stopped for a moment as Scully questioned him silently. "Last night, you asked me what my beliefs are for eternal life and I told you that I was not sure of my belief but something happened this morning to challenge me." "Mulder, I wasn't wanting you to change your beliefs." "Scully, it wasn't you. Well, I suppose you were part of it," he conceded. Watching the confusion fill her face at his words, he eased her consternation. "While I watched you sleep, I must have dreamed. A flight of fancy but it did make me think a lot more deeply about what we talked about last night." "What did you dream about?" She asked, wondering just what this flight of fancy involving her could be. "I don't think it's something you want to know. Reality always is much harder on a person than the wishes of the heart. Mind you, it did remind me of something my Booba told me when I was young. That if you have faith and truly believe, it will come true. Very simplistic but to a child it held the greatest dream. At the time she gave me a special gift, one that I have treasured and held dearly, hoping one day I would be able to pass on that dream to another and I believe that now the time has come." Pulling out the old white box intricately marked with gold lacework over its lid, he fingered it lightly before passing it over to Scully. Carefully picking it up, she was struck by the beauty of the box, clearly an heirloom that had been passed down for several generations. Gently opening the lid, she found a beautiful gold necklace resting on a small padded mahogany velvet cushion, sparkling in the candlelight. Like her own necklace, this was a symbol of Mulder's heritage. The Star of David. "Mulder, it's beautiful but I can't accept it. This is a family heirloom. It should be passed down to your children, not to me." "No, Scully. It is a gift to be passed on to someone you care for dearly. You have been my friend and partner. You have also put your job and your life on the line for me. There's no one else who has ever done anything like that for me." Getting up from the table, Mulder put his hand over hers, removing the necklace from its box. Standing behind her, he draped it around her neck, sealing the clasp securely. He lifted her soft red hair over the necklace and his hands dropped to rest on her shoulders as he thought of the significance of their gifts. Coming to his knees before her, he clasped her small hands within his own. Their eyes met and he found her blue depths pooling with unshed tears. "Scully, these necklaces are a symbol of our faith and trust in something other than ourselves. In our quest to find the truth, we have had to put our faith and trust in each other, relying on the other's strength to get us through. Now it's your turn to rely on me as you face this dark journey ahead. I will always be there for you. When you need strength, I will give it to you and when you need comfort, I will be there for you too." The tears that had been beckoning to overflow finally began the gentle cascade down her face. Mulder pulled her into his arms and have her the comfort she needed. **************** The End. There may be a sequel to this in the future....... someday. It will be called 'Postliminium'.