"I'd Kiss You . . . " . . . Mulder sat in his car, waiting for Scully and Morris Fletcher to arrive. When they at last drove up, he stepped out of the car, standing on the dusty road and he watched Scully's departure from the vehicle and silent approach towards him.
"You don't look too happy," he remarked when she was close to him. "Don't tell me I'm gonna have to put two kids through school . . . " a sad smile played along her lips at his comment and then she leaned forward slightly, peering at the unfamiliar face.
"That is you in there, Mulder, isn't it?" He nodded slightly and she let out a breath. She looked back over at Fletcher briefly and standing akimbo, began to speak, heaviness in her voice. "I, uh, I just got off the phone with Frohike. They were able to download and analyze the crash data and yes, there was an anomalous event that night --"
"-- yeah, and how do I get back?" Mulder interrupted impatiently.
"Well, that's it. It's all about random moments in time, about a series of variables approaching an event horizon," heartbreak and denial fought subtly across his face as the hopelessness grew in her voice, "and even if we could recreate that moment, if we could sabotage another craft," she paused and the heaviness was like a lead weight breaking down her heart, "Mulder, if we were, if we were off, if the event were off by even one millisecond . . . "
"I might wind up with my head in a rock," he finished for her, his mouth twisting into a grimace. Scully was quiet for a moment and then responded softly, "something like that, yeah."
They were both silent, staring into each other's eyes, communicating all they would not say. Then, Mulder looked away, frustration on his face and Scully glanced down, sorrow heavy on hers.
Gesturing to the car and Morris Fletcher, Mulder asked brusquely, "what about him, I mean, me, whatever?"
"Agent Mulder has become A.D. Kersh's new golden boy," Mulder let out a slight self-deprecating laugh, "he's been tasked with returning the flight data recorder that he and I stole." She paused and then added in disgust, "the son-of-a-bitch confesses more to Kersh, than I do to my priest." Mulder let out another short bark of painful laughter.
"I'm just tagging along for the ride," Scully concluded quietly. He glanced down at her, confusion in his expression, "what do you mean, you're just tagging along?"
"I'm out of the Bureau. I've been censured and relieved of my position."
"No," Mulder broke in with, "you can explain it to them, like you explained it to me. You have the data. You can make them understand. You can get your job back."
She was quiet for a long moment, her gaze resting softly on him, finally with a hint of a heartbroken smile in her voice, she told him, "I'd kiss you, if you weren't so damn ugly."
He smiled and then they both glanced back over at Morris Fletcher. Seeing their gaze upon him, he leaned out the car window and shouted, "take a picture. It will last longer."
Between clenched teeth, Mulder asked, "if I shoot him, it that murder or suicide?"
"Neither, if I do it first," she replied promptly. He looked down at her and then back to Fletcher and then to her again. Their faces were mirror images of pain and sorrow. Finally, Scully reached out a hand and clasped it tightly to Mulder's arm, her face crumbling into near tears. She stood holding onto him for a long moment and then, with great regret, she pulled away.
After a few steps, Mulder called out to her, "hey, Scully?" and she looked back at him. He silently walked to her, digging into his coat pocket. When he reached her, he held out his hand and she did the same and into hers, he dropped a bunch of sunflower seeds. And then he plucked one from the palm of her hand and turned away, placing the seed in his mouth.
Scully walked away and he watched her go, devastation on his face.
"Thanks for Coming Out There with Me" . . . As Mulder stepped out of the elevator, his cel phone rang. He pulled it out, "Mulder?"
"Mulder, it's me," came Scully's familiar reply. "I just wanted you to know that we slipped under Kersh's radar. Our little fieldtrip to Nevada went unnoticed."
"Oh yeah?"
"Mulder, I'm sorry that your confidential source didn't pan out."
"Well, I guess you were right, Scully, just another crackpot who watches too much Star Trek."
She smiled, "g'night," and began to hang up, but Mulder's "hey, Scully?" held her to the phone.
"I know it's not your normal life, but thanks for coming out there with me."
Her smile broadened, "you're welcome," and she hung up.
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