TITLE: Newfound Love
AUTHOR: Erin M. Blair
E-MAIL: eblair@sonic.net 
CLASSIFICATION/CATEGORY: SRA--Story, Romance, Angst.
CONTENT: Mulder/Scully Romance. Alternate Universe. 
RATING: PG.
DISTRIBUTION/ARCHIVE STATEMENT: OK to Gossamer,
Xemplary, Ephemeral, etc. If you want it, you got it. 
SPOILERS: Pilot, Deep Throat. Colony/Endgame, Anasazi.
Blessing Way. Paperclip.  Reqiuem.
SETTING:  Season 2
DATE: First draft: August 23, 2003. Written and edited
during the months through August - November. Final draft:
November 16, 2003.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I would like to thank Jen for 
beta reading this story for me.
DISCLAIMER: Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter.
SUMMARY: Mulder was returned from his abduction
and he finds out that his sister, Samantha, was now
an FBI Agent working on the X-Files with Dana Scully.
Will Mulder fall in love with Scully? What does life has
in store for him? 

------------------------------------
NEWFOUND LOVE
Written by: Erin M. Blair
------------------------------------

Samantha Mulder was running the track. The heat of the 
day was intense for Virginia weather. Her body was sweating,
but she was used to it because she ran the track every
chance she got. Her wavy, brown hair was pulled back from
her face with a ponytail holder. She looked up to see an 
elderly man approach her -- it was Deep Throat. 

"Agent Mulder?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes."

"She didn't come with you? I thought Agent Scully runs
the track, too."

"Dana had plans with her family," said Samantha. 

"I have some news for you. There was a military aircraft
that collided with an alien spacecraft in the Pacific 
Northwest. Oregon, to be exact. However, the 
spacecraft is cloaked."

"It will be hard to find it. However, I'll do anything for my 
brother to get home," said Samantha.

***

Dana Scully wasn't having a very good day with her 
family. Her brother, Bill, couldn't come home from the 
military. Her sister, Melissa, was away on one of her
New Age discovery trips. Her brother, Charles, was
there with her parents. 

She was bored. 

There wasn't any man in her life except for the usual
date with Ethan Minette but it wasn't a serious romance. 
Before she met Ethan, she was involved with Jack Willis, her
instructor at the FBI Academy. However, it didn't last very 
long. Still, she hasn't been in a serious relationship for the
last two years. It wasn't like she was going to get married 
anytime soon. Her work made her too busy to enjoy 
herself. It was what she sacrificed when she took up being 
partners with Samantha Mulder. 

"Dana, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom," said Scully. "It's just that I'm worried
about Samantha."

"She's an independent woman, Dana. She can take care
of herself." 

"Mom, I know that. It's just...that she sees her brother in 
every abduction case. She's taking it too personally."

"You have to see it from her point of view, Dana. She
had a traumatic experience and it changed her. I remember
that whenever your father came back from being overseas."

"I know," said Scully.  "I'm still worried about her, Mom.
She's been a very good friend to me and it's just...I don't
know what I'd do if I lost her."

***

"So how's this an X-File?" asked Scully. She was looking
at Samantha who was fussing with the slide projector as
she inserted the slides. 

"Dana, there was a crash in Bellefleur, Oregon. A
military cargo plane collided with an unexplained object
that disappeared."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" asked 
Scully. Her right eyebrow lifted up skeptically. "Everytime
we go to one of these alien sightings you think Fox will
come back."

"I know, Dana. I've been dragging you along with my perennial
goose chases. For that I'm sorry, but I can't give up."

Scully nodded. "I know you can't give up. It's seems like
every lead you get, you think Fox will be there, waiting for
you."

"I always had this feeling of 'what if?,' Dana. I always 
wondered if things were different... if Fox wasn't 
abducted. Would he search for me? Would he join the 
FBI like I did? Would he have you as his partner? I close 
my eyes and I dream of what he would be today."

"What would he look like?" asked Scully. 

Samantha went to her desk and got out a photo of her
brother, using the FBI's age progression techniques. "This
is what he'd look like today. It's amazing what computers
can do." She handed the picture to Scully.

Scully looked at the photograph of Fox Mulder. She couldn't
get over how good-looking he was. "He's very...oh my, he's
so gorgeous, Samantha." Scully saw his hazel eyes 
and his brown hair. "I can see the family resemblance."

"I know," said Samantha as she took the photo from Scully.
"I want to find him. God only knows what they did to him
all these years. I heard the men get tortured the most." Her
hazel eyes were misty with tears.

***

Bellefleur, Oregon
May 4, 1994

Samantha and Scully went to Oregon to see the military
aircraft. They were talking to Detective Miles as they
walked into the clearing in the woods. 

"As you can see, the military cleaned up the area 
after it was reported to the FBI," said Detective Miles.

"There's no evidence of a collision?" inquired Scully.

"I do remember where it crashed," said Detective 
Miles. "I can show you." He led the two FBI Agents
to the site. Nothing was in range. 

Except for a hot, melted flashlight. 

"What's this?" asked Samantha. She looked at Scully
for an explanation

"It looks like a melted flashlight...caused by heat being
raised several degrees above the melting point of the
material in the flashlight.  I think we need a Geiger counter 
to track the radiation emitting from the area... It could 
give us some much needed information to track this 
unknown object."

"I know just the thing," said Detective Miles. He went 
to get the gautic gauge from the car and then returned 
with it. "This area has always been filled with strange 
activity since 1989. I always wanted to deny it because 
people in this town didn't want to believe."

"Sounds familiar," said Samantha wryly. "Have there been
any reports of anyone returning from any unusual phenomena?"

"My son, Billy, and his friends, Peggy O'Dell and Theresa 
Nemman. However, they're in denial that anything happened
out there in the woods," said Detective Miles.

Samantha was thinking of a connection with the 
disappearance of her brother. "How long ago were 
they returned?"

"1992."

"Oh," said Samantha. She didn't want the detective to know
how disappointed she was. She noticed Scully didn't say
anything. She went after her. "Dana!"

"I just can't believe this."

"What?"

"This whole thing. You totally believe it, don't you?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes, I do. Dana, it's what
keeps me going year after year."


As they left the woods,  Samantha looked over
at Scully. "You certainly were quiet over there."

"Sorry. Do you still think it's an alien ship that
collided with the military cargo plane?" asked 
Scully. She looked at her partner. "This trip -- when
will you stop finding your brother? It's been years..."

"I know it's been years, Dana. You, of all people,
know how much he means to me.  I will always look
for him until I no longer have the means," said 
Samantha with determination. 

"This case has gotten a hold of you, Samantha. 
When will this end?"

"As soon as I find the truth, Dana."

***
May 6, 1994
Samantha Mulder's Apartment
Alexandria, VA

Samantha was in her apartment in Alexandria. She
was in an almost unfurnished apartment #42. She
was at her desk, looking at her photo album, filled
with memories. The photographs were of her with
her brother, Fox, when they were children. It 
documented every year until Fox was abducted. 

She closed her eyes, thinking of the very day when 
Fox went missing. They were  playing Stratego and
watching the Watergate hearings on television. 

Samantha looked at her brother. She was frowning. 
She couldn't stand watching a boring hearing on 
television. "Why are we watching this, Fox?"

Mulder drew a sigh. "'The Magician' comes on at
9:00 p.m., and Mom and Dad left me in charge."
He paused. "Are you going to move or not?"

Samantha nodded. "I don't want to watch this, Fox.
It's boring."

Mulder changed the channels and demonstrated to
his sister that it was on every channel. "Looks like it's
on every channel. See?"

"I'm going to complain, buttmunch," said Samantha.

"You can try to complain, but I'm the babysitter here.
Remember?"

Samantha nodded. Her brother was indeed in charge.
The lights began to flicker before going off. They were 
both in the dark. 

"I'll go find a flashlight," said Mulder. He was interrupted
by a blinding white light.  The force of the light pulled him
away from Samantha. "Samantha!"

"Fox!" she exclaimed. Her body felt paralyzed as she 
was trying to move so she could help her brother. She 
felt helpless as she watched her brother went out of 
the open window. She basically watched him disappear.
"Fox!"


Samantha's eyes opened, and she heard Scully's voice
as she was being touched on the shoulder. "Samantha!"

"Dana?" 

"You were having a nightmare," said Scully. "I was 
so worried when you didn't answer me."

Samantha's eyes focused on Scully  as she slowly
started to speak. "Dana, I remembered when Fox 
was taken all over again. He just....left in the bright,
white light."

Scully stroked Samantha's brown hair with a loving
hand. "It's the case, Samantha. It's bringing everything
all back." She paused. "I'm worried about you."

"Same here," said Samantha. "Any news?"

"Your father called," said Scully. "He wants you to
come home to West Tisbury. Your mother is already
there."

"Ugh. Can you come with me? You know how my 
family and I don't get along. My parents blamed
me for losing him," said Samantha. 

"You were only eight, Samantha!" exclaimed Scully.
She paused for a moment. When she started talking,
her voice was gentle as a breeze. "There was nothing
you could have done. I'm sure your parents know that,
deep down. You were only a child. If your brother was
in your position, there would be nothing he could have
done, either. Both of you were overpowered." Scully put
her arm around Samantha's shoulder to comfort her 
partner and then she handed Samantha a tissue. "Will 
you be OK?"

"Will you please come wih me? I need some support,"
said Samantha as her eyelids were red from crying. 

Scully nodded. "Yes, I'll come with you. Don't worry."

Samantha made a face. "I'll go. I'm only going because
of you, Dana."

***

May 6, 1994
Bill Mulder's Residence
West Tisbury, MA

Scully drove Samantha to her father's house in West
Tisbury. Samantha noted that there were two extra 
cars. 

"That's my mother's car, but who's the other car belong
to?" asked Samantha with wonderment. She got out of
the car along with Scully to head towards the front 
door. She noticed the door was open. 

They entered the house and they saw Mrs. Mulder and
Mr. Mulder talking to a tall, lanky man with brown
hair and hazel eyes. Scully immediately assumed this
man was the long-missing Fox Mulder.

"Samantha," said Mulder. He went to hug his sister. "I
missed you so much." 

"Fox, I have missed you, too." She returned the hug. 

Mulder tooked notice of the woman standing next to 
his sister. "Are you Dana Scully?"

Scully nodded. She held out her hand towards Mulder and he took 
it for a gentle but firm handshake.  "Hello." Suddenly, she felt,
as did Mulder, that they were only two people in the room. There
was heat between them which intensified as they both gazed into
each other's eyes. "I guess you're Fox Mulder. Your sister
told me everything about you..."

"My parents have just told me great things about you. They
said you're partners with her on the X-Files at the FBI," said
Mulder as he smiled at Scully. 

"I just grounded her with scientific knowledge," said Scully.
"She's the one who kept up the search for you."

Samantha couldn't get over at looking at her brother. "I
saw them abduct you, Fox."

"Samantha," said Mulder, "I know this has been hard for you."

Mulder and Scully realized they weren't the only ones in the
room.


Mrs. Mulder was having a hard time getting over the fact that
her son had finally returned home. She went up to the guest bedroom
while her ex-husband followed her. She heard his voice behind the
door. "Teena? Can I come in?"

William Mulder walked in to see his wife, Teena, looking up
at him. "How come he didn't come back here much earlier?"

"I don't know. I guess the aliens didn't return him to our
home. Maybe they forgot? Fox returned in a different 
state, Teena."

"I wanted him home so badly, Bill. And now I learn some
other family raised our own son! We didn't even know where
he was! It's like...giving up our child...when we didn't!"

"I tried to find him through my own resouces at the State 
Department, Teena. God! When I found out that my 
friend had him all these years....it's just made me so
angry. He lied to me saying, 'Bill, I don't know where 
Fox is.' He knew all about it all along!"

"And then we blamed our own daughter about it. It 
just broke us apart, Bill."

***

Scully was sitting down with Mulder and Samantha on 
a couch in the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Mulder were still
upstairs. 

"I guess Mom isn't taking this too well," said Mulder. 

"No, she isn't, Fox. She never forgot you. Mom and
Dad were searching for you all of this time. If they had
known what happened to you, they would have found
you sooner," said Samantha. "What happened to you?"

Mulder drew a deep breath. "It seemed very unreal."

"Try me, Fox. I believe just about anything."

"Not anything too religious," said Scully. "She's an
agnostic."

"I'll be sure not to go to church with her, Scully. Anyway,
I don't remember much. All I remember is a bright, white
light. I remember them slicing my chest and then they
drilled me," said Mulder. "Of course, that's all from my
nightmares."

Samantha nodded vehemently. "That's what people
say after they have been returned. I have file after
file.."

"They're in the X-Files," said Scully. "Go on, Fox."

"You can call me Mulder, Scully."

"Why?" 

Mulder laughed. "I hate the name Fox. That's why."

"OK, Mulder. Your sister calls me Dana."

"I think Scully is a much better name than Dana," said
Mulder. 

Samantha drew a deep breath. "You still hate your
name, Fox?"

"Well, I do like how Scully's voice said my name. I just
prefer Mulder."

"OK, Fox," said Samantha.

"Samantha..." Mulder gave her a warning voice.

"You still owe me Stratego," said Samantha. "We
still need to finish our game."

Mulder nodded. "I know." He paused. "Anyway,
I was returned in California. I was about fourteen
at the time. However, the authorities couldn't find
Mom and Dad so they placed me with this a
man named CGB Spender, his wife Cassandra,
and their son, Jeffrey. I have always known who
I was: Fox William Mulder. I've never been known 
as Fox Spender. I always missed my family and
being with you, Samantha. I never forgot you. I 
missed teasing you, Sam. When I was eighteen,
I left the family to go to college at Oxford in 
England. I did my degree --" He noticed Samantha
was grinning. "What?"

"I studied at Oxford, too. I majored in psychology. 
My grades were always exceptional. When I 
graduated from Oxford, I was recruited for the
FBI," said Samantha. 

Mulder was stunned. "So did I."

"How amazing," said Scully. "My sister, Melissa,
would say it's fate."

"You mean the New Ager, Dana?" asked Samantha.

Scully nodded. "Yes, Melissa." She paused.
"What part of the FBI, Mulder?"

"I'm a criminal profiler at the Behavioral Science Unit
at Quantico," said Mulder. "My supervisors think
I'll be made Assistant Director one day."

"None of my supervisors say the same thing about
me, Fox. They called me, "Spooky Mulder," when I was
at the FBI Academy. It stuck even more when I transferred
over to the X-Files."

"I think I may have heard that,  but I thought they were 
referring to me -- after all, until just now I didn't 
know you were also in the FBI."

"All this time you were under her nose, so to speak,"
said Scully. "You were so close."

Mulder nodded. "I know. I finally had the guts to find
Mom and Dad. It was very tricky to find them considering
they divorced." He paused. "Where do you both live?"

"Georgetown," said Scully. She gave Mulder the address.
"My apartment gets all the mutants who want to kill me."

"Why don't you move?" asked Mulder.

"I can't afford to move, not with my salary. Where do you
live, Mulder?"

"Alexandria. It's on Hegal Place. My apartment number
is 46. Second Floor."

Samantha gasped. "You live on the same floor as me. I
live in apartment number 42."

"Maybe we ran into each other and you didn't know it?"
said Mulder.

"There have been strange occurences there," said Samantha.
"It has something to do with our strange cases."

Scully nodded. "We have had some interesting cases." Her
blue eyes gazed into Mulder's hazel eyes. She knew that she'd
just met him, but she felt that she had known him forever. She 
wondered if he felt the same way, too.

She walked to the kitchen and she turned around to see 
Mulder.  "Mulder? I didn't see you there."

"Sorry," said Mulder. "I'm sure you're wondering how is it
possible for two siblings to work in different units of the FBI
and live in the same apartment building -- never once 
meeting."

"Actually, I wasn't really thinking about it. I have heard
studies where identical twins, who were separated at
birth, did the same exact things. There are siblings 
who worked in the same jobs. My brothers are both 
in the military and so was my father. Emily and 
Charlotte Bronte were sisters who were also writers,"
said Scully. "If you weren't separated from your sister,
you probably would have gone into a different field."

"True," said Mulder. "I never thought of it that way.
Samantha and I don't have the same work schedule
so the twain didn't meet until today." He paused. 
"Scully..."

"What?"

"I was wondering if we could go out to dinner..."

"Is this a date, Muder?" asked Scully as she smiled at
him. 

Mulder nodded. "Yes, it's a date. I still have to check things
out here. I haven't seen my family in years...but there's 
something about you..." He paused. "I feel like I have 
known you forever."

"I feel the same way," said Scully. "I know we just met...but
I have this feeling we were meant to be together."


After Scully went back to the living room, Samantha cornered
Mulder in the kitchen. He had a beautiful, sunny smile
across his features. For many years, he had been brooding
and waiting for someone who could capture his
heart to enter his life. Today, he found that someone: Dana 
Katherine Scully.

"You look rather chipper," said Samantha. "Does it have
something to do with Dana?"

Mulder nodded. "Your partner is....so...gorgeous, Samantha."

"I think she likes you, too."

"Does she?"

"Yes," said Samantha, with a nod. "She's very interested in
you, Fox."

"I have already asked her out on a date, Samantha," said 
Mulder. "I have this feeling...I know it's crazy, but I think
we were supposed to be together. Isn't that odd?"

"Not really," said Samantha. "I've seen stranger things.I think
it's fate, Fox."

"I think you're right," said Mulder in agreement. Suddenly,
his tone became more serious. His joyful smile turned into
a serious smile. "I know you've been waiting for me for a 
long time. Mom and Dad were very hard on you, but you
shouldn't feel guilty about what transpired on that night. If
it were me in your position, I probably couldn't do anything
either."

Samantha gave him a hug. "Thanks, Fox. That's what 
Dana said, actually."

Mulder laughed. "Well, then, Dana's a wise woman. You should listen
to her more often." He paused. His laughter died down as there was 
a return to seriousness. "She, obviously, knew what pain you have
been under."

Scully walked in. "AD Skinner's on the phone, Samantha." She
handed her the phone while Samantha walked into the guest 
bedroom. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Mulder nodded. "Sure."

"We have to go back to Bellefleur, Oregon. Apparently someone
is taking more abductees."

"Do you want any help?"

"Sorry - you're an abductee, Mulder. They're being taken and 
they're not coming back. I don't want to risk you." Scully took
off her cross necklace. "I want you to wear this. I want you to
remember me."

"Scully, you sound as though you're not coming back..." 

Scully drew a sigh. "There's something about this case..."

"What?"

"Mulder, I have a bad feeling about this case."

"Then don't go," said Mulder. "Let me go instead."

"No, it's not safe for you. I can't let you go."

Mulder pulled Scully close to him. She could feel his 
heartbeat. "You're afraid that you might be abducted."

Scully nodded. "Am I that transparent?"

"Yes, you're that transparent. Look, Scully, I'm 
sure everything will be fine. Your partner happens
to be my sister. She'll be with you, correct?"

Scully nodded again. "Yes."

***

May 8, 1994
Bellefleur, Oregon

"My brother really likes you, Dana."

Scully was looking out of the window. They were driving
to the forest where some abductions had taken place. "I 
know." 

Samantha noticed how worried Scully was especially after
they touched down at the airport in Portland. The long drive
was exhausting, to say the least, but Scully was silent on the
whole drive. "There's something wrong, isn't it?"

"You told me that this will end, but it hasn't. Will we ever 
get out of the car?"

"Dana, this is my life."

"I know. It's just that I have some new priorities in mine."

Samantha looked at her partner's side profile. She knew
Scully was in love with her brother. She didn't have to say it
-- she could sense it. "You want to get out of the car,
don't you?"

"Am I that obvious, Samantha?" inquired Scully. 

"Yes, you are that obvious. However, I think there's
something you're not telling me...something that
you're afraid of."

"I'm afraid that I might get taken," said Scully as she
revealed her greatest fear to her partner. "Now that 
something good is happening in my life -- something
always takes it away. It's a theme in my life." She 
paused. "Something bad is going to happen to me.
I just know it."

"I know I don't believe the same things as you do,
Dana. I noticed your faith in yourself has been 
slipping lately. I don't want you to lose your 
sense of yourself. You need your faith back. I 
want you to believe that nothing's going to happen
to you. You're my partner, Dana. I will protect your
back," said Samantha. 

"I hope so," said Scully. "I really hope so."

***

Samantha looked at the site where she
had lost Scully. She couldn't believe it
at first.  She saw Scully walking towards
the light. She couldn't stop her - for some
reason Scully believed that she was going
to be the one who was taken. 

Scully was right, of course, she was taken
by aliens. She was stunned. She felt her 
muscles tighten, unable to help Scully.

Just like she couldn't help her brother. 

And now she couldn't save her partner.

She inwardly screamed at herself. The 
pain was so deep within her. It was like
all the nightmares she had when she was
younger. Instead of Mulder having the starring
role, it was now Scully. "Dana," she yelled
loudly. "DANA!"

She got out her cell phone. "Fox, there's 
something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Dana -- she's....been abducted."

"Oh, my God!" exclaimed Mulder. "Sam,
I'll be on first plane out. Don't worry, we
will find her. I have to find her." 

***

When Mulder reached his sister's hotel
room, he noticed she was in shock. "Samantha?"

Samantha looked at her brother and threw
herself at him in a trembling hug. "I lost her,
Fox. I lost Dana." She paused. "First, I've lost
you for most of my life and now I lost her. They
are trying to..."

Mulder interrupted his sister. "Samantha, it's
not your fault for what happened to me. I certainly
don't blame you for what happened to Dana. It could
have happened to you, Samantha. It could have 
happened to me again." He gave her a tissue to
wipe her tears away and he heard some soft 
chuckling. "What?"

"Dana told me this a few days ago."

"I know she did, Sam. You have to listen to 
the both of us. It's time to get into action. I 
think we Agent Mulders can bring Scully back
safe and sound. Don't you think?"

Samantha nodded. "I sure hope so."

"I have to talk to AD Skinner about 
temporarily assigning me to the X-Files
because you need a partner, Samantha. You
can't look for clues about Scully without 
one."

"Fox, I appreciate your concern but I 
can do it by myself."

"You need to have someone watch 
your back," said Mulder. "Let me."
He noticed his sister was wavering.
"Please."

***
The next day they looked for clues 
from Scully's abduction in the 
forest. The two Agent Mulders were
combing the area to find traces of the 
ship. 

"The ship was cloaked," Samantha 
said as she bent down to examine the
melted flashlight. She noted that there
was evidence of radiation near the 
melted flashlight. "Fox, look at this."

Mulder knelt on the forest floor to
examine the flashlight. "That looks 
like it was melted to the core. That's 
evidence of extreme heat from 
radiation," said Mulder. "Extreme
heat is a number one case scenario 
from..."

"Alien abductions. I have case file after 
case file about this."

"I was going to say alien abduction but
you beat me to it, Samantha."

"Dana and I noticed a melted flashlight
before when we were out here before,"
said Samantha. She peered at the flashlight,
looking for differences. "It's Dana's."

"Are you sure?"

Samantha nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm so
worried for her."

"I'm worried about her, too. We have to
remain strong, Samantha. We will find
her - I'm sure of that."

They looked for Scully in the forest. It
took five hours to cover the whole woods,
but they did it with the help of backup.

"I found her!" exclaimed Detective Miles.

Samantha and Mulder both ran to see
Scully, who was laying unconscious on
the the forest floor. Mulder knelt to 
hold Scully's hand, hoping she would 
be all right. Samantha comforted her 
brother. "She'll be OK, Fox."

**

Two hours later, Scully was at the 
hospital. She was still unconscious.
Mulder and Samantha were both sitting
by her side, waiting for her to wake up.

"Are you family?" inquired the doctor.

Samantha shook her head, indicating
'no'. "I'm her partner at the FBI." She 
held up her FBI badge. "And this is 
my brother, Fox. He's her boyfriend."

"Samantha..." 

Samantha threw a look at him, which
quieted him down. 'How is Dana?"

'Her tests showed nothing wrong. We're
at a loss as to why she's unconscious. She 
should be waking up soon," said Dr. Wilcox.

"That's wonderful news, Dr. Wilcox," said
Mulder. He watched him leave. "She 
should be OK." He was relieved because he 
remembered the trauma he faced from
his own abduction. "I hope she doesn't
remember anything..."

"I hope not," said Samantha. "Do you
want to be alone with her?"

Mulder nodded. "I was wondering when
you're going to leave."

"Hopefully, she'll wake up, Fox." She 
left him there with Scully.

Mulder waited by her side, hoping she
would gain conscious soon. He heard a
soft moan. "Scully?"

Scully's eyes focused on him. "Mulder?"

Mulder nodded. "I'm here, Scully. Do you
remember what happened?"

"I was caught in some force field, but it 
knocked me out of it. I guess it didn't 
want me. I have no idea how long I was
out..."

"You were gone all evening and through
the early morning hours, Scully. Samantha
and I looked for you. It was Detective Miles
who found you."

"You were looking for me?"

Mulder nodded. "It's not that hard to 
believe. You have created a huge 
impression on me." 

"That's right - you asked me to go on
a date."

"After you're sprung from here, we really
should have our date."

"That would be great, Mulder."

**

One week later, Scully was back home
from Bellefleur, Oregon. She was hearing
her messages from the answering machine.
She had one from her mother, one message
from her sister, and the rest were from Mulder.

She decided to call him. "Mulder, it's me."

"Scully, I was just going to call you," said 
Mulder. He was happy to hear from her. "How
are you feeling?"

"Much better than I was at the hospital. I'm 
fine - really." 

"I'm glad," said Mulder. "I was worried about
you." He paused. "I was wondering when we
could have our first date. I can pick you up at 
noon for lunch. What do you think?"

"That's perfect, Mulder. I would love to have 
lunch with you," said Scully. 

***

They were at a Mexican restaurant in Georgetown,
having burritos. "Where did you find this place,
Mulder?"

"I went to lunch here after I finished for work for 
the day. I loved it so much that I wanted to take
someone special to it," said Mulder.

"That's so sweet, Mulder."

"And you're that someone special, Scully."

"I am?"

Mulder nodded. "Yes, you are." He paused. "When 
Samantha told me that you were abducted, I was so
scared that I would never see you again. I know we
basically just met, but I have feelings for you. I 
never felt this way about a woman before. I had some
bad experiences with women before but I do know this:
I want to spend a lot of time with you. I think I'm in love
with you, Scully."

"I think I'm in love with you, too. I never had a major
serious relationship before. Not since Ethan. When 
I first saw you, I have to admit that I fell for you 
right then and there."

"Are you in love with me, Scully?"

Scully nodded. "Yes, I am. But it's crazy! We just 
met a week and a half ago."

"I know. It boggles the mind," said Mulder. "Are you
willing to give us a chance?"

"I am willing, Mulder."

"Me, too."

***
Scully's Apartment
August 18, 1994

For the next three months, Mulder and Scully 
were dating each other. The two of them were
inseparable, filled with enormous passion. At 
first, they wanted to take it slow, to see where it 
led. 

Scully cooked Mulder a meal consisting of 
hamburgers, chili, and tossed green salad. Mulder 
smiled at Scully with a tease: "Scully, how come 
you're not adding cheese to the hamburgers? It's 
un-American." 

Scully walked up to Mulder, who was already seated
at the table, with the hamburgers, chilli, and green salad
with tomatos on a silver tray. "I'm trying to save both 
our lives, Mulder. If I added the cheese, it will add to the
cholestoral count. Not good."

"But that's if we totally pig out, Scully."

"Still -- it's always good to be health conscious, 
Mulder."

"Do you always watch what you eat, Scully?" He
watched her throw 'the Scully look' at him. He
found out from his sister that it meant 'don't mess with
me.'  "Sorry."

"I do watch what I eat, but I don't mind a few times
when I go overboard. You can't be strict all the time. 
Sometimes you *do* need some variety in your life."

They ate in a comfortable silence, enjoying the
closeness of a home cooked meal. "Scully?"

"What?" 

"You have some mustard on your mouth," he said as he 
grabbed an extra napkin to wipe it off. 

Scully swallowed her food and cleared her throat 
before replying. "Thanks, Mulder."

"Always, Scully."

***
Later, they were sitting on the sofa. Their 
kisses were getting passionate and very 
heated between the two of them. Scully knew 
that the inevitable would happen soon. "Bedroom, 
Mulder."

"OK. Lead the way, Scully." They went to 
the bedroom, away from the sofa. Their
lips reached for each other's and then 
they touched to form the most tender kiss 
that they had ever had.  

Mulder and Scully's clothes came off, one by 
one, and then their bodies became naked. "I 
love you," he murmured into Scully's 
red-gold hair. "I can't live without you." He 
caressed her lips, her face, and kissed the 
nape of her neck. She was so beautiful, like 
an angel who came to him in the early morning 
hours. 

In the early morning hours, they were cuddling
underneath the sheets. "Scully?"

"Hmm..?"

"I want my life like this each and every single
day," said Mulder. He fingered her red-gold hair
with his hand. "Do you?"

Scully's eyes focused on him. "Mulder..."

"Well? Do you?"

"Repeat that," said Scully sleepily. She was trying
to focus on Mulder but she was still half asleep. 

"Do you want to get married?"

Now she was fully awake. "Are you proposing to me?"

Mulder nodded. "Yes, I am." He paused. "Well?"

"Yes, Mulder, I will marry you."  

Mulder smiled tenderly at Scully and he leaned in
to kiss her on the lips. He felt the warmth between 
them. He felt so happy and content that she had 
said yes. They broke off the kiss and he got out of the
bed to pull out the ring from his coat pocket. He slipped
the engagement ring on her finger. "You have made me 
the happiest man alive, Scully. Our newfound love for 
each other would grow by the days, months, and years."

"And you have made me the happiest woman 
alive, Mulder. I'm glad that we've met each other. I don't
ever want to know what life was like before you came into
my life. You have made me complete, Mulder."

"I know. You're my everything, Scully. Always remember
that."

Scully nodded. "I will."

And they would always be together, through sickness 
and in health. 

-- the end -- 


Feedback:  Yes, please. I love feedback.
Send to: eblair@sonic.net

Author's Notes:

I had this idea of writing an alternate universe story where
Samantha was Scully's partner ever since I started to write
X-Files fan fiction. I thought it would be an intriquing story
to create but other ideas over the years preceded it. I knew
this story would have a romance between Mulder and Scully
so I knew Fox Mulder would return from his abduction (unlike
Samantha in the television series). 

It wasn't until I returned to write X-Files fan fiction that I 
decided to write it on a hot summer's day. I was at the 
family's summer house in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada
when the first draft was handwritten on seven sheets of 
binder paper. 

After I returned from vacation, I immediately went 
to the computer and started typing. This story was
written and edited several times during the past several
months with the help (and the support) of my beta reader. I
would like to thank her for her help and support for this 
story. This story couldn't have been completed without her
help.