TITLE: Mistaken Moments
AUTHOR: Erin M. Blair
E-MAIL: eblair@sonic.net
CLASSIFICATION/CATEGORY: SRA--Story, Romance, Angst
CONTENT: Mulder/Scully Romance.
RATING: PG
DISTRIBUTION/ARCHIVE STATEMENT: OK to Gossamer, 
Xemplary, Ephemeral, After the Fact, The Cutting Room 
Floor. All others: please ask me first.  
SPOILERS: One Son. Small spoilers from: The End, X-Files:
Fight the Future Movie. Set after "One Son."
DATE: First draft - July 5, 2003. Final Draft - August 26, 2003
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Jen, as always, for beta reading.
DISCLAIMER: Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter. 
SUMMARY: Mulder and Scully deal with lost moments in their 
lives. Will they find out what they truly mean to each other
or will they lose each other?


------------------------------------
MISTAKEN MOMENTS
Written by: Erin M. Blair
------------------------------------

Time slowed during the few days immediately after 
what happened in the Lone Gunman's office. The heat 
between Mulder and Scully intensified regarding the argument 
about Diana Fowley, and they never talked about the near kiss 
in the hallway at Mulder's apartment. The moments
passed between them and then the opportunities where they
could have cleared the air between them were lost.

For Scully, it was too much. Those mistaken moments overtook 
her, making her even more insecure about her place in Mulder's 
life. She was in Skinner's office for a meeting with Mulder -- about 
their partnership.  It was also the first meeting officially 
on their reassignment to The X-Files. 

Scully looked blankly at Skinner as she watched him looking 
at his papers and then she gave a side-long glance at Mulder. She 
was sitting, at the urgency, knowing full well that Mulder and 
her partnership was in dire straits. She didn't need Skinner or 
Mulder to voice their concerns toward her about the state of the 
partnership; she knew it was in trouble. She felt it ever since 
Mulder and she came back from Antarctica. Something was 
totally off then and something is totally off now. "I don't know 
what's wrong with my partnership with Mulder," she said to Skinner. 
She could feel Mulder's eyes on her, watching her closely. Then 
she went to the heart of the matter: "But we have been having 
problems ever since Agent Fowley came back to the United States."

"I had no idea that you and Mulder were having problems. Is this 
true, Agent Mulder?" inquired Skinner. 

Mulder nodded. "It's nothing, Skinner. Scully and I are having a 
disagreement but I think we can work it out. I think she's taking 
this rather personally."

Skinner interjected. "Mulder, *you* have been taking this rather 
personally especially in regards to Samantha." 

Scully glanced at Mulder's profile to get a sense of his 
reaction. He looked shocked, to say the least, at what Skinner 
said. Mulder's face was full of sadness because he knew what
she was thinking: their partnership needed help in order to flourish.

Of course, Scully didn't know if their partnership could survive. 

"Sir, I know I have taken my quest personally. It's not just 
about Samantha, it's about justice for what happened to 
Scully," explained Mulder. 

Scully didn't react to what Mulder said. She was flabbergasted 
at what he said, but it was the truth. She wanted to get to the 
bottom of it. "Then why did you complain that I was taking this 
personally at the Lone Gunmen's office? You said and I 
quote: 'Scully, you're making this personal.' I told you at the 
Lone Gunman's office that personal interest is all that I 
have. If you take that away, there's no reason for me to 
continue following you." 

"You misunderstand me. Again."

"That is what you said, Mulder." She knew Skinner wasn't 
thrilled about their disagreement over Diana Fowley, but the air 
needed to be cleared before there was any development. Although 
Scully wanted to storm out, she knew if she wanted to remain 
with Mulder as his partner, they needed to work on the 
partnership. "I'm not going to run out of the door, like I did last 
time."

"Mulder," said Skinner, "do you understand what Scully's 
saying here? I would like for the both of you to continue 
working together, if at all possible. Right now, the trust 
between you and Scully seems to be at an all-time low. We 
can't have that at the FBI." 

"Sir, what are you going to do?" inquired Mulder.

"I'm granting Scully a leave of absence for awhile from the 
X-Files. I think it's fair."

"Thank you, Skinner," said Scully. "Does Mulder get a leave 
of absence?"

"No," said Skinner. "Why should he? He gets to think 
about his actions while you're away. I'll postpone the cases 
until the two of you figure something out. I'm sure Mulder has 
some paperwork that needs to be completed."

The meeting was over with and they both filed out of the 
room. As Mulder and Scully were walking down the hallway, Mulder 
finally broke the long silence that passed between them. "Scully, 
I guess you get a leave of absence from me."

Scully nodded. "Yes, I do." 

"Are you going to quit?" asked Mulder. 

"Is that what you think I should do?" inquired Scully. Her 
eyes flashed with anger at Mulder. "Sometimes I don't think 
you really trust me. You have droned on and on about how 
not to trust other people but then you placed your trust 
with Diana Fowley. And I wonder why." Mulder and Scully 
were both in the elevator towards the basement office. As 
Scully watched the floors go by, she turned towards 
Mulder, "I wonder why you trust her." 

"Because Diana gave me no reason but to trust her. I found 
no evidence when I went snooping in her apartment. However, I 
did find CGB Spender there."

"You did?" inquired Scully. "What did he say?"

"He gave me the address to El Rico where the Syndicate 
died. He told me to save myself because the colonization 
was going to happen. I was floored; I wasn't sure whether 
or not to believe him. Later, Diana entered the apartment and 
we talked. I asked her about her reasoning behind her 
reappearance but she didn't say anything. We decided to go 
to the El Rico base, but I wanted you to come along, too. I wanted 
more than anything for you to be saved."

The elevator door opened and they filed out to the hallway 
near the basement office. Scully wanted to gather her things 
before going on the two-week leave of absence. As she gathered 
her things, she faced Mulder. "I was just an afterthought for 
you, Mulder."

"No, you weren't," said Mulder. He drew a sigh. "You mean 
more to me than anyone."

After Scully finished gathering her things, she closed the 
door to the X-Files basement office. *Mulder's office.* 

Mulder followed her to the hallway. "Scully, wait. I think we 
need to talk."

Scully turned around to face Mulder. There was hope in 
her clear blue eyes. She wanted to save the partnership, but 
she was so insecure about her place. "What about?"

"I think you know," said Mulder.

Scully drew a sigh. "You don't trust me."

"I do trust you, Scully. Look, I have told you several 
months ago in a different hallway that - "

"I don't need to hear this again, Mulder. You already decided 
that you trust Diana Fowley more than me," said Scully. Her voice 
was cracking emotionally. There were unshed tears in her eyes, just 
waiting to fall. She was exhausted from talking with Mulder. She 
decided to be open and to remain strong. She needed to tell him 
the truth. "I feel like a fool, Mulder. I'm jealous of Diana Fowley. 
She shared a part of you that I never had. She calls you by 
your first name and you never let me call you Fox. I have to 
admit it bothers me."

"Scully, how come you never told me this?"

"I tried; but you kept on telling me the virtues of Diana Fowley. I 
just felt that you love her, not me."

"Scully, do you know how much I trust you? I trust you more than 
Diana Fowley. Sure, she helped me with the X-Files but we 
accomplished more than the time I was with her. You've got to 
believe me. Your science and rationalism has saved me a thousand 
times. You've kept me honest and sane. You have grounded me and 
made me feel like a whole person." Mulder paused and then he
continued. "I want you, Scully, more than anything else in the 
world. I don't love Diana Fowley; I love you, Dana Katherine Scully."

Scully's eyes glistened with tears. "Mulder, I have no idea what 
to say."

"Don't leave me, Scully. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused 
you. I don't know what I'd do if something ever happened 
to you. I have always been afraid -- ever since your 
abduction -- of losing you. I have always wanted to tell you 
how much you mean to me but there was never a right 
time. Now, it's the right time. When you were abducted, I 
had the faith of your beliefs that you'd return to me. I kept 
the hope alive in my heart that you'll return to me."

Mulder's words touched Scully's soul. Her clear 
blue eyes moist with unshed tears. Scully always 
wondered what this man in front of her felt. She was 
so scared of admitting anything that she let those 
moments pass her by for six years of their 
partnership. "I'll never leave you, Mulder. I know I 
never said it before...but I'm in love with 
you, Fox William Mulder." 

Mulder wrapped his arms around Scully's waist for a 
hug. Then he watched her tiptoe to plant a kiss on his
forehead. His hazel eyes gazed into Scully's 
blue eyes. The heat between Mulder and Scully 
intensified. Mulder wanted more than anything to kiss 
her. Like in the other hallway, he put his hands around her  
and then leaned to kiss with the passion that was building 
up since the almost kiss. 

When they broke off the kiss, they gazed into each 
other's eyes for a long time. Until --

"There's no bee this time," said Mulder.

"No bee," repeated Scully. She paused. "You don't know how 
much this means to me."

"I think I know. This is such a beautiful moment that I want to 
hold on to this for eternity," said Mulder.  "I want to remember 
this moment for the rest of my life."

"There will be other moments like this," said Scully. She was 
smiling now - her sadness was finally lifted - with the 
knowledge that Mulder clearly loves her.

The moments that were lost now appeared in the open for 
both Scully and Mulder. They would always remember to be 
open with each other and to treasure each moment of their lives.

The End
 
Feedback: Always appreciated. Send to: 
eblair@sonic.net

Author's Notes: 

I watched "One Son" the third time and I still didn't 
like the way Mulder treated Scully. I know Scully 
didn't have to be feel threatened by Diana Fowley
but I understand how she feels. I really didn't care for
Diana Fowley, as I am a total Mulder/Scully shipper.

I would like to thank my beta reader, Jen, who has been
a terrific friend for me. When the chips were down, she has 
been urging me on to keep writing. 

I would also like to thank my family, especially my brother,
for urging me to continue to write. 

Finally, I would like to thank David Duchovny and Gillian 
Anderson for their excellent portrayals of Mulder and Scully.