A Night To Remember

Title: A night to remember
Author: CCke aka Aset
email: Eponine_Aset@hotmail.com
archive: if you want it, it’s yours, just let me know where I can visit J
Rating: NC-17 of course. Nothing too graphic though, and there’s a plot!
Pairing: MRR, DSR, MSR-F
Category: emotional angst I think. I don’t believe in categories… Ok, maybe I do, but I’m really not all that good at it, so… But for all our sake: it’s a bit angst-y, probably some romance as well… oh well…
Warnings: adult content, disturbing images? Just guessing here… Oh and some mastulder :op, couldn’t resist J So if you don’t like a guy who can use his hands, turn back now!
Season / sequel info: There are some missing scenes for Empedocles and AU at the end, then again AU post-Existence. Spoilers for Empedocles, Essence, and Existence
Disclaimer: Do I look that rich? No: Chris Carter, Fox, 1013, blahblah…
Author’s note: Okay, I know I’ve got some on-going stuff I really need to finish, and I promise I’ll get to them eventually, but this came to my crazy mind, and I just had to write it down, in need of some more MRR (yeah well, like I said before, if I can’t find enough stories out there so I write them myself) and some heart-warming (/breaking) emotional angst and stuff. So bear with me! I’ve got exams and I really should be studying, but my muse is obviously thinking otherwise, and who am I to turn down inspiration? So here it is. Let me know what you all think! I love feedback, but I’ve got central heating, so no flames needed :op
Dedication: to my friends, who support me no matter what, and are always there when I need them. And to Lieven, I will hold you in my heart forever. Memoriae teneo!
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Part one: Empedocles

Mulder POV

When I was in the hospital that day, waiting for news on Scully and the baby, I was worried sick, of course I was. I care for Scully and I had already grown to love the little child growing inside of her. Some claimed it to be mine, but I didn’t know at that time, and I still don’t. The IVF had failed. ‘It was my last chance’ she’d said, falling into my embrace and cried. Yes, I’ve slept with her, one magical night, a fusion of two lonely, kindred souls. But no matter what, Krycek was right when he said the baby was ‘a miracle. Born of a barren mother's barren womb’. I care for them both, and love them in my own way.

As I was standing in the hallway with Agent Doggett, who had arrived there as well, worried over his partner and the baby, I got a phone call, the one that would change my life forever.
She’d made me curious over the phone already, telling me she needed my help on some paranormal event that somehow involved tight-ass Doggett. I would’ve dismissed her right away was it not for that little comment in the end, about Doggett’s involvement, and the faint tone of distress in her voice. No need to lie, I dislike Doggett. I know that after my disappearance Scully needed a new partner, and I know he cares for he too, and that he is concerned for her well being and that of her unborn child, but I had returned, his job was done. I tried to persuade Skinner to put me back on the X-files, but it was out of his hands, and the new DD Kersh, who was seemingly pleased to see Doggett bury the truth I worked so hard to uncover, had me put on another unit. So there was that, and the fact that Scully likes him, a lot. I know she’s a grown woman, and that she’s not my wife or my girlfriend, but she’s my best friend, and always will be, and I want her to be safe and happy.

Those feelings towards Scully and the baby, and the jealousy I felt towards Doggett made me be rude to her. I was harsh and rude… I just wish now I hadn’t.

I went out to meet her at the FBI headquarters after she flew in from New Orleans. I found her at the records office, going through a file drawer.

“Agent Mulder,” she greeted me in a sweet soft voice.

“Agent Reyes?” I asked as I looked at her, pleasantly surprised by the sight in front of me…A beautiful young woman with dark hair and warm eyes, standing on a stepladder. She seemed taller than Scully, and had a nice sporty figure. The look I got from down below was wonderful as well. I wouldn’t be a guy if I didn’t like what I saw there!

She took the file she needed and came down the ladder to meet me. Shaking her hand, I smile. She seemed nice, and I liked her already.

“You're taller than I thought.” She startled me.

“You keep on alluding to a time that we've met and I don't remember.”

“ I was there when they found you in the woods. You were... “ then she paused. I just nodded, knowing that by now she must’ve understood her little error. She looked at me and smiled uncomfortably.

“Uh... Yeah. I'm not surprised you don't remember.“

“Yeah. Um, I-I have somewhere I have to be … if we could cut to the chase.” I said. I really had somewhere to be. I needed to watch over Scully.

“As I said before, it involves Agent Doggett … the death his son. I don't know if you're familiar at all with that case.”

Now there’s something I didn’t see coming.

“No, I'm not at all familiar with Agent Doggett.”

She just handed me the file, crossing her arms as I took it. A short glance at the file and I felt sympathy for Doggett. Somehow I started to understand his bitterness. Loosing a child I wouldn’t wish to anyone.

“I…I wasn’t aware of this.” I said, unable to really control the sympathy in my voice, “you were the lead investigator?”

“Once it fell to the FBI. Agent Doggett was with the NYPD at the time. We worked it together. We never caught the killer. It was the hardest case I’ve ever had. As in stealing-into-the-bathroom-to-cry-my-eyes-out kind of hard. I can't begin to imagine what it was like for John.” She declared, and I could see the distress written upon her face. She let out a sigh, controlling her emotions before she continued, “I couldn't bear to put him through this again, but if it means we could catch his son's killer... I just can't go to him until I know if what I saw means anything.”

“You said this case involves some kind of phenomenon?”

“I don't know if it was a psychic experience or what, but when we found his son, I had a vision. It was as if for just a moment... The body was changed.”

Now there was something interesting!

“Changed? Into what?” I asked her.

“Ashes. It looked like ashes. The thing of it is Agent Doggett told me he saw it, too … although he spent the last few years convincing himself he didn't, that even if he did, it didn't mean anything.”

“What do you think it means?”

“I can't shake the feeling that it's a clue, that it could somehow point to who's responsible, if only I let it. And now I've seen it again. A thousand miles from here, a seemingly unrelated case and I've had the same vision. There has to be a reason for it, a reason it's happening now.” She told me, and somehow I wanted to believe her. I told her I’d try and help out, so she took me through the cases.

Upon leaving the records office I was …How shall I put this… shoved against the wall by a furious John Doggett, who was yelling at me to stay out of his life. I don’t know who told him, or how he found out, but boy, was he angry. I can still feel a slight bump from where my head collided with the wall. Luckily Reyes arrived before he could kill me. Okay, so he wasn’t going to kill me… Did I mention I really dislike the guy, and he was seriously pissed?
He seemed to calm down a bit once agent Reyes talked to him, but he still wasn’t too pleased we were investigating this. He didn’t want to hear about it, about the possible connection, and didn’t want to believe agent Reyes when she told him about the vision. At the time I just thought he was just being the black-and-white seeing sceptic, now I’m not so sure. He was just scared to believe…


_-*-_-*_-*-_


I was sitting in the basement, my old office, comfortably installed behind my old desk, feet up and chewing on a pencil as I went through some old cases when she entered the room.

“Agent Mulder? I was looking for Agent Doggett. “ She said, obviously a bit surprised to find me here.

“Well, that'd make sense. It's not my office anymore but old habits die hard.” I explain as I sat up straight, a little smile on my face. I had not expected to see her so soon. Not that I dread her visit, not at all. I liked agent Reyes, I really did.
“What are those?” she asked, pointing at the open files on the desk as she moved towards me, stepping out of the shadows into the rays of sunlight emerging through the basement windows. She was wearing a normal, dark g-woman suit… trouser suit though, no skirt like Scully used to wear. But it suited her, showing of her long legs and her slim figure.

“Cases involving images like you described. People close to crimes who experience visions of death disassociated from reality.” I said, probably surprising her that I worked on the case. She probably thought I’d quit because of Doggett’s little outburst.

“And what did you find?” She asked, a smile on her face, excitement and hope in her voice.

“Absolutely nothing. These visions are so random as to have absolutely no significance to the cases they're supposed to pertain to.” And they were, all unrelated.

“You're wrong.” She stated, the momentarily disappointment on her features replaced by determinism.

“I think I know these files!” I told her, letting out a little laugh to break the tension, and to stop myself from looking into those mysterious eyes of hers. I could feel myself getting gibberish again. ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’ I wondered.

“And I know what I saw. There's a reason these things are happening. There is something at work here, and it all began with the man killed in the car crash-- Bob Harvey.”

She’s no sceptic, that’s for sure. She’s not like Scully was before, or that Doggett is. She knows what she believes in… In a way she’s like me, I came to realise

“I think that's a coincidence. I think that life is full of them.”

“And full of patterns things we see, but can't comprehend. You believe that. Why can't you believe this?” She asked, obviously not willing to let go. She’s pretty like that.

”I think there's an opening coming up in this office soon. You might want to apply.”

“Is that why you won't help him?”

’Doggett… So this is what this is all about again’ I thought as I closed the files and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. What is it with this guy that’s got the women so crazy for him? Scully liked him a lot, and Reyes as well… I bet it’s those ears!

“I have a, uh, sick friend in the hospital and, uh, I think I should go see her.” I excused myself, smiling briefly before giving her the files, then I was moving towards the door, putting on my suit coat.

“I hope she gets well. This office down here needs at least one person with an open mind.”

“You'll say anything, won't you?”

“Only when I think I'm right.” She flashed me a beautiful smile, and I had to get out of there, before I did something stupid. I returned her smile briefly, then hurried out of the office.


_-*-_-*_-*-_


If I told you I think agent Doggett is scared to believe then I’ve witnessed it all first hand the morning we were out in the field, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, some godforsaken place out in the woods where a woman had been found dead.

“What am I doing here?” he asked me as he got out of the rental car and walked up to me.

“Been asking myself that same question, Agent Doggett. But it seems the tenacious Agent Reyes does not want to let go of this one.” And she wouldn’t. She called me at 8 in the morning about the murder, wanted me out there with her ASAP.

“Of what?”

“She's got a murder victim out here, a woman found shot. She thinks it's probably the same man who killed those two people down in New Orleans-- this Jeb Dukes.” I explained to him as I lead him a bit into the woods, where Agent Reyes was standing by the body, surrounded by some local deputies.

“What does she want from me?”

“She wants to know if you see it, too. What she's been seeing.”

“I told you, there's no connection.” He said to me, and I could see him tense up as he took in the scene before him.

He went up to look at the body, and just said he didn’t see it, in a calm voice after a few moments, then he turned to walk away.

“I think you do.” She stated in that determined voice of hers, “You're just afraid to go there.” And Doggett stopped.

”Whoo. You just keep shooting till you hit something, don't you?” I exclaimed, somehow loving the tension in the air. Or is that the alpha-male attitude that is emerging?

“You'd rather blind yourself to the connections, but I can't.” she said as she kept looking at agent Doggett.

“You keep talking about these connections. Connections to what? To who?”

“What if this is a thread of evil … connecting through time, through men, through opportunity, connecting back to you. In India, in Africa, in Iran, in the Middle East, in the Far East. Most of the world, they take it as a given. They see evil in death the way other people see God in a rose.”

“I saw Elvis in a potato chip once.” I knew what she meant, and I couldn’t stop myself from speaking up.

“You know what I'm talking about.” She said as she glanced over to me, an unreadable look in her eyes.

“Yes, I do. I do. But if this man doesn't see it, he doesn't see it, right?” Then I left them alone.

I think he did see it, I think he understood what she had said and meant, but he was indeed just afraid to go there. Nonetheless he tried, with a little baby-step at the time, and the case got solved. Not by some irrational thought though, just a gunshot. Jeb Dukes had held his niece hostage, a gun against her head, and Doggett had fired. He died in the hospital, causing his sister to loose it completely and knocking agent Reyes out with an oxygen tank. But other than a bump on her head, a wound above her eye and a concussion she’s fine. Just like Scully who’s back at home now, although she’s to take it easy for a while.

Doggett will be fine too. We had a meaningful talk about believing and evil outside Scully’s room in the hospital, which surprised the hell out of me, but I tried, like Scully had asked. Maybe it had helped him.

_-*-_-*_-*-_

Mulder POV


A cacophony of sounds and a cloud of smoke greet me as I enter the little bar. I admit, I don’t do this very often, head out in the middle of the night to have a drink. First there’s the fact that I prefer to be on my own in my apartment or in my basement –office. But then again, the latter isn’t mine anymore and the first… things just haven’t been the same since I came back from the dead, I can tell you that! Second, I won’t do it again…it’s damn hard to find a place open this time of the night! It’s only 1 a.m., but most cafés are closed apparently. It’s just like I’m back in England, everything closed at 11 pm. Just the bell and it would be complete.
I had to get out of the apartment for a while. I visited Scully at her apartment, talking a bit, eating congealed cheese- pizza… She really seemed to like her present, the ragged doll I found while cleaning up my mothers house. But then agent Doggett had dropped by, and I felt that I was out of place there, so I left. I returned to my apartment, but instead of sleeping, or watching some TV, I was stuck with serious thoughts and I just had to get out of my apartment.

”A beer, please” I ask, a bit uncomfortable, as I sit down on one of the chairs near the counter. Having another look around the place, I realise it isn’t as crowded as I thought it was when I set foot in it only minutes ago. A couple of guys playing cards, some youngsters hanging ‘round the gambling machine, two or three guys at the counter, and a woman there as well, a bit apart from the others, a glass with a clear liquid in it in front of her. Studying her beautiful form more intently I realise I’ve seen her before.

Paying for my drink, I pick up the malted brewing and make my way over to the young woman.

“Agent Reyes” I say, putting down my beer. I must’ve startled her for her eyes grow wide for a moment as she looks at me.

“Agent Mulder”, she greets me, “what are you doing here?”

I smile and sit down.

“Same as you I guess, having a drink” I reply as I take a sip of my beer.

She returns my smile and mimics my motions as she as well has a drink.

“Yeah well” she says, putting down her drink with a thud.

“Rough day?” I ask her. She looks troubled, and she never struck me as a drinker. Then again, I’ve only known her for a couple of days now, and never got to know her really.

“Rough life” she answers and looks up into my eyes. For the second time my heart skips a beat as I look into those beautiful brown orbs. ”What about you?”

I take a deep breath “I just needed to get away from everything for a moment, to think” I then reply truthfully. I just needed to sort things out… Scully and the baby, agent Doggett, my reactions towards agent Reyes…

“And getting drunk is the way?”

“You sure seem to think so” I say, gesturing towards the now empty glass in front of her.
A weak smile graces her pretty features, but she doesn’t reply.

“Want to talk about it?” I ask her, fighting a sudden urge to kiss her. I blame it on the beer!


Reyes POV

Letting out a deep sigh, I look up into agent Mulder’s face. Even in the middle of the night he looks hot. The thought barely crossed my already alcohol-induced mind or it was replaced by an image of a barely dressed Mulder sprawled across my bed. Damn those raging hormones!
I can feel a faint blush starting to spread across my cheeks, and I pray he doesn’t notice. I can always blame it on the Martini!

”I just had an argument with John” I say, answering his question as I loose myself in his eyes. If there’s something spooky about Spooky Mulder it must be his eyes, and how I can completely forget about everything as I look into them. They’re mysterious and beautiful, just as the man they belong to.

No, stop it, Monica! Bad thoughts again! Focus, he’s going to say something…

“About those visions?” he asks.

“He’s…John will always be a sceptic” I reply, not really wanting to go into detail. “What about you?” I ask him as a silence threatens to fall between us.

“I just came back from Scully’s place” he started.

“I hope nothing’s wrong” I say, interrupting him and before I could really stop myself, I put my hand on his. I watch his eyes grow wide for a moment and I can feel the muscles of his hand start to stiffen as he prepares himself to pull away from my touch, then he relaxes again.
”No, I just went there for a quick visit. I couldn’t sleep, so I went out for a drink” he supplies.
I watch him as he drains his glass and motions towards the bartender to serve us again, two Martini’s this time.

Mulder POV

A couple of drinks later and we’re still talking, much about everything, like we’ve known each other for years. I order once more some drinks, this time something light for her, then we’re back into the conversation, and I can hear myself start to laugh. A giggle-laugh. Boy, that alcohol must be working, but I can’t seem to stop myself from drinking some more. I’ll probably regret it in the morning, but it’s so good right now. And she’s so wonderful too. I feel perfect, watching her as she rambles on about growing up in Mexico and the cool stuff she’s done there. Watching her as she takes up her drink, liking her lush lips a bit before placing the straw against them and taking a sip of her drink, her cheeks hollowing a bit to increase suction. A little smooth lick of that tongue over the tip of the straw and her bottom lip before she lets go, and I’m sporting wood. Trying to focus on the conversation doesn’t really help… One of her adventures with some guy out in a forest. Her body shifts and my eyes wander off towards her cleavage, showing nicely through her low cut shirt. It’s a flimsy thing, and I can see her nipples through it, hard. I take in a deep breath, trying to get a bit control over myself again before looking up and loosing myself in her smile… The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and heard. It’s the most wonderful sound and there are sparkles in her eyes, like little rays of sunlight, blinding me with their brilliant beauty. I’m a blind man, blinded by love.

I finally stopped denying it, probably got the alcohol to blame for it, but I’ve fallen in love with Monica Reyes, a woman who I, until just now, barely spoke to. I don’t know if it’s just a moment of insanity, a temporary crush, or the beginning of something so much more profound and deeper, and right now I don’t really care.

‘I need to do something, now!’ I think and before I can really help myself I’m bringing my head closer to hers and kiss her. Just a brief touching of our lips, then I pull back with a sheepish smile.

She’s silent as she opens her eyes, little sparkles in them, but her hand is on my leg and before I can really comprehend it, her lips are crushing on mine, and I can feel her tongue scraping against my bottom lip, begging entrance to the cavity of my mouth.

”Want to get out of here?” I ask her as I push her back a little, and now I’m sure I’m drunk. This isn’t my line. But still it came from my mouth.

I’m rewarded with that beautiful smile again before she leans in again and kisses me briefly before grabbing my hand, dragging me out of the musty bar…

Reyes POV

I groan softly as the rays of sunlight reach my eyes properly, managing to wake me up completely and force me to open my eyes.

“Too bright” I mutter as I bury my head deeper into the warm body next to me. It grumbles in return, a deep low male grumble.

The pounding in my head makes itself known again and I realise what had happened… Hello hangover and hello awkward morning after.

I force my eyes open and lift my head up a little as I roll onto my side, blinking a few times before I have a good look at the man besides me. His eyes are still closed, and he looks a bit boyish with his brown hair all mussed up like that. A serene smile covers his face that lies sideways in the pillow. His broad shoulders and his back are exposed, muscular, pure male beauty. I let out a sigh and he does the same, rolling onto his side and opens his eyes.

“Good morning”

And I’m staring right into the deep soulful eyes of Special Agent Fox Mulder.

Another wave of headaches hits me, and images of last night start to flood my sleep and alcohol induced brain… the argument I had with John, going down to that bar in the middle of the night, seeing Mulder there, getting drunk, the kissing and the mind-blowing sex…

“Morning” I utter before groaning again and laying back down.

“You too huh?” he asks as he brushes a strand of hair out of my face, careful not to touch the small wound just above my left eye. I just nod sympathetically, not really sure if it’s the remnants of the concussion or a hangover that’s the main reason for the pounding in my head. That oxygen tank Katha Dukes hit me with sure was heavy.

‘Where’s that awkwardness’ I wonder as he lays back down again, pulling me against him again, and I become aware of the fact that we’re both still naked. Reaching for the blanket, I cover us both up a bit more.

“Good thing it’s Saturday” he says before closing his eyes.

I can feel sleep starting to get the best of me too again, or maybe it’s just the alcohol-leftovers in my blood and the exhaustion of a passionate night catching up with me, and I can feel myself start to drift off as a thought enters my brain and I jerk into a sitting position with a gasp, clutching the blanket against me, covering my breasts.

“What?!” Instantly Mulder is next to me, his eyes wide open, and alert.

“Did we use a condom?” I ask, instantly regretting the words as I hear them leaving my mouth. This wasn’t the time to ask something like this… I want to cuddle and sleep a bit, not worry about something like this. But I did need to know…

For a moment he looks confused, looking around the room, then he just put his arm around me, forcing me to lay down against him once more.

“Don’t worry” he says with a smile, showing me the empty wrapper on his bedside table.

“I’m sorry” I say, feeling like a complete idiot. Why didn’t I remember that?

“S’okay” he says, pulling me closer to him and pressing a soft kiss on my cheek, “Try to get some more sleep” he says, and this time I obey, safely locked away in his embrace.


Mulder POV

I wake up about an hour later, momentarily panicking as I feel something heavy on my chest, then I sigh and smile as I realise it’s the arm of the beauty next to me, agent Reyes, cuddled up against me.

’Monica’ I correct myself as I place a light kiss upon her hair. She’s a natural brunette I notice as I watch the red and golden highlights come out to play in the sunlight. Of course I could’ve guessed, knowing she’s got Mexican roots… But still, you can never know underneath all that colouring. I let out a small snort as I think of Scully. How often haven’t I wondered if she was a real redhead or not?! ‘Scully’ I think and I can feel a pang of guilt inside of me.

’It was just some temporary insanity. She’s just a pretty girl, we were drunk and I acted like a normal male. Nothing more, nothing less’ I tell myself as I reluctantly get up, detangling myself from her hold. I didn’t want to, but I really had to go to the toilet. After a small investigation of my bedroom floor I was able to locate my boxers and I put them on, making my way towards the bathroom. The hangover is still present I notice as I feel my head starting to pound again. Why on earth did I have to drink so much? I just hope I still got some aspirins in my med cabinet.

I finish up in the bathroom and make my way into the kitchen as quiet as possible. Boiling some water for the coffee, I can hear her cell phone ring and her muffled voice as she answers it. About a minute later she enters the kitchen, dressed in nothing but my shirt. I swallow audibly, and turn towards the counter, trying to hide my growing erection. Damn, I’m not a schoolboy anymore! But then again she’s looking hot as hell, hair all mussed, lips still a bit swollen from our activities last night. And she’s wearing my shirt!

”Want some coffee?” I ask her, trying to make my voice sound as normal as possible, but still it came out all funny, so I clear my throat.

”Thanks” she says, then after a little pause, “That was John on the phone. He wants me to meet him at the Hoover building in about an hour.”

For a moment I’m clueless as to why she’s staring at me like that. The case was solved… Then it hits me. Her car is still at the café. It was dumb enough for us to drive in one car, let alone two.

”I’ll take you there. I’m going to see Scully anyway” I reply, handing her the mug. I admit it was pretty harsh, but then again, when was I ever mister Tactful? That’s really the thing every woman wants to hear after you’ve spent a fantastic night with her, that you’re off to see some one else. If she’s hurt by my words, she doesn’t show it, she just nods, then asks me if she could use the bathroom.

”Sure” I say, pointing her in the right direction, avoiding to look her into the eyes. I just can’t. They’re not really totally brown, you know. That’s what I thought when I first saw her. Brown. But they’re not. They’re like a brown with green mixed into it, coming through more profoundly when she’s in the throws of passion. And it’s beautiful, warming my heart in a way that I had thought not possible. And that’s why I avoid her eyes.


Reyes POV

I can no longer hold back a sob once I’m alone in the bathroom. Silent tears are running down my face as I sit down on the toilet, still dressed in his shirt, enveloped in his scent. I don’t even know why I’m crying like an idiot. It’s not as if I didn’t know this couldn’t be something more than a one-night-stand. It’s been wonderful, but it’s over. He loves Scully, and I know for sure she loves him as well. End of story.

But last night, when he said I was looking beautiful, I saw something in his eyes. I thought he might have some feelings for me. The way he’d acted last night in the bar, last night in bed … This morning even as he had brushed away a strand of hair out of my face. And there had been no awkwardness. What had caused that sudden change? Was it me?

I take a deep sigh as I get up and flush the toilet.

‘I’m not in love with Fox Mulder’ I tell myself as I look at my tear streaked face in the bathroom mirror.

”I’m not” I say out loud, trying to convince myself as I pick up my clothes and get dressed. I splash some more water in my face, trying to wash away the evidence of my little emotional breakdown. Then I get out of the bathroom, and all of a sudden, I’m not longer convinced.
Mulder is still out in the kitchen, fully dressed now, and he gives me a little boyish smile, and I’m falling fast as the butterflies in my tummy start flying higher and higher once more.
I’m in deep, deep trouble.

“Ready to go?” he asks me, and I just nod, grabbing my purse and following him out to the car.

”You can drop me off at the café if you like” I say as I open my door, “It’s on the way, and my car is still there”

“Sure” he says, then remains silent for the rest of the drive. It’s annoying me, this silence, and I want to do something, say something but I know that every word uttered would be the wrong one…

We’re about half way as I finally speak up.

”I’m sorry” I start, and for the first time since we started driving he looks at me. “That condom…I didn’t mean to scare you like that” And I can feel myself start to blush.

“It’s okay”, he says with a smile, “I’d hate to see a wonderful woman like you becoming a single mom because of me” then turns his attention back to the road.

It felt like the air was knocked out of my lungs and someone had his hand around my heart and squeezed down hard when I heard him say those words. I just want to get out of the car and to cry, but I couldn’t, not now. He probably didn’t even mean it like that, but now I know for sure that he’s not interested in me. Last night was just… seeking comfort? I don’t know, but it hurts like hell.

At the parking lot, we said some quick goodbyes, a small peck on my cheek, telling me it’s been fun, then I watch him driving off.

“See ya” I mutter as I get in the car, my fingers trembling as I try to put the key in the ignition. Damn me! Why do I have to get so emotional over a stupid one night stand?!?
A deep intake of breath, then I start the car and hurry towards John, shutting agent Mulder out of my mind, and of my heart. One more day and I’d be back in New Orleans, alone, without having to face him again. Should make it easier to forget…

Mulder POV

Waking up with Monica in my arms has made me realise one thing… How precious life is, and how wonderful it feels to wake up like that. And over my morning cup of coffee I made a decision. No matter what my feelings towards agent Reyes were, -just an alcohol-induced crush- my place is besides Scully and the baby. Doggett is nice to her, but he hasn’t made the move yet, so I should take my place there with her. I will be there if she wants me.

It hurt me to see the flash of pain flicker across agent Reyes’ face when I spoke up in the car. Again, I’m not mister Tactful. I didn’t mean to hurt her, not ever. But I did. At least she understands now that it was just one night, nothing more, and nothing less. I’ve been an arse all along. And I’m sorry it had to be at agent Reyes’ expenses that I finally started seeing things more clearly. I’ve been a zombie ever since I came back from the dead, trying to let everything be the same again as it was before. But I was gone for over three months, and a lot can happen in such a short time… But one thing hasn’t changed. Scully is my best friend, my only friend, and she needs me, the way I need her in my life.


TBC