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He sits on the floor of his apartment, head back against the couch. The piles of destruction from his apartment being ransacked still evident around him. If Scully doesn’t wake up he will have lost his only lead for justice. The phone rings and his throat tightens, is this it the moment when he finds out that the one person in this fucked up world that has come to mean everything to him is lost forever, how will he ever recover.
“Mulder,” his answer soft defeated.
“Dana, woke up.”
“What?” he's immidately on his feet begging to have the words be the truth.
“She’s awake Fox, umm she is asking for you.” Maggie Scully voice is laced with joy.
“I..I’ll be right there.”
“You might want to take a shower and eat something first.” Maggies statement is probably for the best but he could care less because Scully is awake and asking for him.
“Dana, I think you should be prepared, Fox he hasn’t taken you missing well.” Maggie hopes that she is conveying the right message to her young daughter. Dana’s partner, whom she talks about endlessly, has been a shell of a person. His anger radiating off in waves not even Maggie can ignore.
Dana nods, “I’m sure, he lost his sister when he was young and I’m sure me going missing brought all of that back, I’m the same age as her.”
Melissa’s eyebrow raise. “That man does not think of you like a sister.”
Dana sighs. “Missy you don’t know him, we are friends, but there is nothing more than that.”
Melissa eyes lock on Maggies. “Mom” Melissa starts... Maggie stops her
“Dana, I understand that Fox has had tragedy in his past but he loves you. I’ve never seen a man that heartbroken.”
Scully sighs. “I understand that he might give that impression but I was his partner for a year and our jobs are dangerous, the heightened adrenaline and experiences we’ve had together have formed some deep bonds. But it is nothing more than that and I would hope that you two will just leave it alone and stop talking about this. Especially when he gets here” Scully though weak is stern as she looks to both her mother and sister.
He doesn't remember driving to the hospital, how fast he was going, where he ended up parking. He doesn't care because she's awake and asking for him and nothing else matters.
Just then there is a small knock at the door. Maggie gets up nodding at Melissa to follow her. “Hi, Fox.” Scully sighs “Not Fox, Mulder.” Mulder grins.
“Hi Mulder, mom and I are going to the cafeteria, so you and Dana can talk.” Melissa follows her mother out the door and Mulder turns to his bedridden partner.
“Mulder, I don’t remember... “ she starts to sit up and Mulder can’t help but move immediately to her side helping her.
“Scully it, it doesn’t matter..” he reaches down his hand cupping her face. She lets out a ragged sigh her eyes almost watering.
Mulder can’t help it he leans down and wraps his arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re ok.” he whispers in her hair. “I missed you so much Scully... I couldn’t...”he feels her fingers tracing up an ddown his back.
“Geez I’m probably crushing you.” Mulder mutters pulling back just slightly.
“Mulder,” her voice is laced with concern as she sees his thinning face, the dark circles under his eyes. The deep stubble in his face. He shakes his head.
“Your mom said I should shower and eat before I came but you were awake and I just couldn’t wait. I had to see you, and had to just be here.”
Scullys hand reaches up tracing his face. “Mulder, when was the last time you ..” he shakes his head his eyes begging her not to ask.
“I know me missing probably brought back a lot of what happened to Samantha.” her voice trails off.
“No Scully, it was so much worse. Losing Samantha was .. its not the same.” He can’t stop touching her, the softness of her hair, the brightness of her eyes. He clears his throat reaching into his pocket.
“I found your necklace, your mom, she said I should keep it to give it back to you. I uh.. Replaced the chain it broke this one is a bit long. I was wearing it, but I got a new shorter chain for you too.”
“Mulder you were wearing my cross?” She is stunned, Mulder who doesn’t believe in god.
He sighs. “I just.. I needed to feel close to you and it helped, not because I believed in the same way, but I believe in you and there were days when I wasn’t sure I could keep going and it gave me faith... that one day I might see you again.”
“I had the strength of your beliefs.” she says and his eyes lock with hers knowing that she heard every word he said. That he might have lost justice but having that time with her made a difference because she is here, talking with him.
He smiles and leans over giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. “I know that your mom and Melissa will be back soon, but I wanted to come say hi and umm just let you know...” she gives him a small smile and waits.
He shallows hard. “I wanted to let you know that.. I love you and I’m just so relieved you are here.” Her lips part and she smiles. He squeezes her hand and starts to walk to the door.
“Mulder?”
“Yea, Scully?”
“I love you too.” he smiles looks at her coyly.
“We can talk about that more when you get busted out of here huh?”
She gives him a soft nod. “I’d umm.. I’d like that.”
“Me too,” he smiles opening the door to see Melissa standing just outside. She gives him a small smile walking back into her sisters room. He smiles because his favorite Scully just said she loves him and he decides that his second favorite Scully is right he needs to shower and eat because he’s got a whole lot to live for now.