Title: A Schmidty X-mas Authors: Kelly Mullins and Danielle Miller Rating: PG.-23 e-mail: musicgrl72@excelonline.com & ih8fsu@tampabay.rr.com Keywords: SSR Classification: SRH - Story/Romance/Humor Summary: Another antagonizing Christmas for Scully as she goes to visit her family at Bill's house, and she's being forced to go to a party where Bill tries to set her up with an annoying man he calls Danny. But can you guess who shows up and saves the day? (No, not Queequeg) Disclaimer: Skinner, Scully, Queequeg too- they all belong to you know who. *Authors Notes* This was written by being passed back and forth on Thanksgiving Day while watching the ever so beloved XF marathon (Bad Blood to be specific). The title is rather characteristic, but its an acquired thing, you know?? Oh and I guess Bill doesn't have CallerID. HUGE thank you to Red, who informed me and fixed too some of the many problems, one very large one being Danielle's computer doesn't do quotes! Oops! I guess it's all up to me now, for the typing. (Kelly) A Schmidty X-mas Kelly Mullins & Danielle Miller Christmas- Silver bells, mistletoe, holly berries, the whole spiel that made Scully sick. She hated the holidays with a passion, as she hated the FBI. They were the reasons she was sitting next to a spitting, toy yielding three-year-old in the back of her brother's car. "Its so nice you got Christmas and New Years off, Dana," Tara commented from the nice peaceful seat up front. "Yea, the bureau decided that everyone involved with the X-Files could take some vacation time for the holidays, so here I am, another happy, family Christmas." "You know, Dana, if you didn't work for the FBI, you'd have normal days off." Bill added his uninvited opinion. Dana sealed her mouth and looked out the window staring at the picturesque North Dakota scenery. "No, Bill," Tara said. "Dana must work at the FBI because she likes it." If psychic thoughts could kill, Tara would be pushing up daisies right about now. Scully didn't want to get into this with Bill. When she was in medical school, he backed her up and supported her 100%. But when she'd made a family announcement that she was joining the FBI, she could see the disappointment in his eyes. It's amazing how he went from being the big brother that was always there to the ominous shadow lurking over you. She didn't even know why Bill wanted her to be a doctor so bad, and she never had the courage to ask him. But she was a doctor. Bill just couldn't wrap his selfish mind around the fact that regardless of if she was with the FBI, she would always be in medicine. Scully had felt excepted in the government, as crazy and as insane as that sounds. Mulder had been tough at first but turned out to be her best friend. She was liked, which was more that she could say with her family. Tara was nice, and so was her mother. Little Matt was too young to know and loved her anyway. That was the amazing thing about small children, they love you without judgment. But there was always one person who always ruined it. Bill.. He was a major influence on Scully. When they were little, she admired him, she looked up to him. But now he'd turned sour. The car pulled up into the driveway. Scully didn't even realize how long she'd been daydreaming. Everyone entered the small house and could hear the sweet voice of Maggie singing in the kitchen. "Hi mom," Dana embraced her mother. "Dana honey, I'm so glad you're here." "Oh, and Dana," Bill interrupted curtly. "We have a party to go to tonight. I hope you brought a nice dress." "Why don't I stay here and watch Matty?" she suggested. "No, Dana, I arranged for a babysitter while Bill and Tara were picking you up. Were all going and there's no way you can get out of this." "I have a dress." she muttered and immediately turned to follow Tara to her room. Four hours and one family dinner later, Maggie, Bill, Tara, and Dana made their way out the door and across the street toward a friend Bill lovingly called Danny. Danny was standing in the front of his porch, obviously awaiting their arrival. The bald headed man looked familiar but Scully just registered that as seeing to many people at the Hoover building. Danny was nice and quite polite to Dana, taking her hand and leading her inside to where the party was in full swing. Then she suddenly noticed that her mother or anyone else from her family was nowhere to be seen. She realized it was a set up, here she was in a skimpy black velvet dress and Bill, Tara, and most of all her mother had set her up with one of Bills best friends. How could a man only go by a name Danny? There was no character in that name, it sounded so childish, so plain, so . . .normal. Suddenly, she was feeling oddly uncomfortable, in her dress, surrounded by men and women that she didn't even know that were talking and having fun. Everyone had the company of another, except for her, she was quickly being abandoned by her shadow. How many times had she been here in this very situation- alone when everyone else wasn't? "This is stupid," she muttered to herself. She was trying to be someone she wasn't, in the dress . . .in the happiness. Thinking and hoping Bill or Danny wouldn't notice if she slipped out the door early, she left the man's side and headed back where she entered. Actually, a nice jog would do her well. Her short legs were aching to be stretched and worked from sitting down all day, first on a plane, and then on the ride home. Very discreetly, she approached the door, secretly planning her way out. If someone were asking her where she was going, she would simply say she needed a few things from her house nearby. If Bill, Tara, or her mother asked, she would say she wasn't feeling well or was tired from the trip. She just hoped the two parties wouldn't collaborate. "Agent Scully?" Came a surly voice. Letting out a sigh of frustration, she knew she was caught. Only why was she addressed as Agent? If only Bill where here now. Turning around her eyes were met by a man dressed in a dark brown suit. Her eyes traveled up his body to his chest to his face. "Assistant Director Skinner?" The familiar face from work was very soothing, especially for it to be Skinners. "Agent Scully, pardon me for asking, but why are you here? Is Mulder all right?" He looked around suspiciously. "No, sir. I'm here with my brother Bill Scully. He lives near here." Skinner's eyes opened a bit more as he noticed her revealing dress. "Your brother's Bill? The Bill I've heard so much about? My brother's Daniel, but everyone calls him Danny so I guess you will too." "Well, it really is a small world after all." She said with sarcasm oozing out of every sound issued from her vocal chords. "Not having much fun?" "How'd you guess?" She looked up into his eyes and was immediately lost in the brown pool of nothingness, they were absolutely beautiful brown orbs. She found herself lost in their depths until the object of her scrutiny started to speak once again. "Well, you're not the only one, I've been here all day, this party has been going on for three hours. And they're not serving any stiff alcohol." He finished as Danny made another round and found his prey. "Dana, there you are, I'd thought you had run away." "I tried, couldn't get out of the door," She said not too happily at Danny's presence. Skinner laughed, being the closest to her and making Danny confused. "See Wally, I told you you'd make friends." he patted Skinner's shoulder and turned around to walk back over to Bill where he'd come from within the massive group of people. "Wally, eh? Well, I've been called worse, but not by much." "He rarely calls me that anymore." He defended. The two found solace in each other's presence; They talked about everything including light work. She was glad Bill hadn't stuck Danny back on her, she was enjoying herself. The man really had a personality. They both felt like they had a circle of protection around them until Bill walked over. "Hey Dana, who's your new friend?" "Bill, this is Sk---Walter. He's Danny's brother." "Really, he's mentioned of you before, but the way he speaks of you it sound like you would be in the FBI or something." "Really? I've always thought of myself as more of a marine actually." He smiled devilishly at Scully, begging her to let him continue his games. "Well, I'm glad to see you got out of your shell and away from the FBI, Dana." Bill smiled. It was the first time he'd smiled to her in months. "I'll let you two go." He left and returned to Danny. "I'm guessing he doesn't approve of the FBI and you?" She pursed her lips. "Something like that." "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm glad you joined the FEDs." He put a genial hand on her shoulder. "It does, thank you. Can we talk?" She asked, motioning towards the door. "Sure," He slid his arm around her waist this time and she led the way out. She wasn't to sure why he was being so...intimate with her...Although she wasn't complaining. "So, where are you staying?" She pointed across the street. "That one, the two story one." "Imagine that." He softly said. They walked down the deck that went from the front of the house and around. "So how has your vacation been so far?" She asked him, stopping and looking straight into his placid brown eyes. "Ok, I guess, Pretty boring. Danny doesn't do much or go anywhere." "Oh- you're lucky. That's all my family wants to do. Stuff. Well, Tara organizes it, Bill enforces it, and my mum and I just go along with it." "Do you like being so active?" She shook her head and laughed. "Maybe we should switch families. It always seems that I'm so busy at home and work that I just want to come here to relax." Her back was getting cold form the criss-cross strap back of her dress and her arms had Goosebumps from the chill in the air. "Come on, let's go back inside- its getting too cold out here." Skinner suggested, noticing her small shivers. "No," She said quickly. "I mean, I'd rather not. I feel so uncomfortable in there. Isn't there someplace we can go?" "Well, he said, there is one other place . . ." He took her hand and led her around to the side of the house where the garage was located. "Well at least there's nobody else here." Scully commented while Skinner fished under the door mat for a key to unlock the side door, soon they were inside and found themselves pleasantly warm. "So where's Agent Mulder spending the Holidays?" Skinner asked as led the way to the back of his brother's car where he opened the back of the Jeep Cherokee to allow them sitting room. "He's probably out West somewhere chasing aliens. I'll probably get a call from him some time in the middle of the week." "Well if he calls you can tell him you're under orders to stay here." He met her eyes with a smile and the unconsciously leaned closer to each other. "Thanks, maybe this will be one Christmas I'm not running away from something, maybe this year I'll be running toward something." Skinner reached for her and she went willingly, he planted his mouth firmly over hers, she responded quickly by placing her arms around his neck and urging him closer to her body. Eventually they both came up for air. "Scully what are we doing here? We're making out like a couple of hormone ravaged teenagers." "Is it really that bad though Skinner? We're not teenagers, we're adults and we're mature... most of the time. Don't you think we're entitled to a little raging hormone action some time or another?" "Are you saying you want this to continue?" "Do you want it to?" She asked arching her eyebrow. "Yea, I think I really want it to." "Good, because I'd really like it to too." The two resumed their prior state of gnawing on each other until the heard the door from the house open and someone coming down the stairs. Skinner quickly rolled onto his back pulling Scully on top of him and closed the back of the Jeep. "Can you see who it is?" Scully asked whispering into his chest. "No." He answered, trying to pull himself up a little, Scully fell off of him making the Jeep move to the right a bit. Trying to contain herself from laughing, she squeezed her lips together, but a little air escaped. Seeing how useless it was to try to see who was intruding on them, Skinner dropped himself back down, rocking the Jeep left. "What?" he asked, confused as to why She was laughing. "I feel like a teenager, don't you? Making out in the back of a car, getting caught..." "Bring back memories?" "Oh many." She said in a low voice and pulled Skinner back on top of her. "Agent Scully!" He said, placing himself over her and kissing her, his large lips engulfing hers. Scully rolled over so she was hovering over him and they continued, gasping for breath occasionally. Bill's curiosity got the best of him as he closed the fridgerator. Seeing the black Jeep moving back and forth, he wondered what exactly was happening in there. Well, he did have a clue, but who? Come to think of it, he hadn't seen his sister in the past 20 minutes. As he rounded the corner of the Jeep he saw no one in the front seat. As he proceeded around, he came across a black velvet cloth hanging out of the door. Obviously it had been shut in a hurry and wasn't known it was hanging out. He walked closer and had to put his face right up to the window to see any thing since it was tinted. What he saw, however, dropped his jaw and widened his eyes. Could it be? Dare he interrupt? Yes dare he! That was his sister and some stranger in there, Gosh Darnet! Bill Scully did the only thing he knew he could do, he knocked on the window. There was movement in the vehicle as Bill could hear Dana's soft voice as she muttered a curse and saw his face through the tinted glass staring at them. Scully shot him one of her patented 'Scully glares' and he looked away from the window to a allow as much privacy as possible in the current situation. "Lemme guess," Skinner started, with his face next to Scully's. "That was Bill?" "Yup, he's out there right now probably awaiting a really good explanation." Skinner sat up as good as he could, removing his hand from its resting-place on her breast. He attempted to assist her in getting out of her prone position but failed miserably because her dress was partially caught in the door. "This can not be good." "Is any thing at this moment?" Skinner asked as he attempted to pull open the back hatch. "I think so Walter, it's just Bill, he doesn't even know you're an AD or that you're even in the employ of the FBI." Skinner managed to pop open the back and they both stumbled out of the Black Jeep, and around to the stairs where Bill was politely waiting. Walter grabbed Scully's hand as they silently climbed the up the stairs behind the sauntering Bill. Upon their arrival upstairs Walter and Dana mingled through the crowd and found the wall furthest from her brother where they spoke softly about what they'd tell Bill, or Danny if one of them asked about their relationship. "Assistant Director Skinner, how nice it is to see you." Maggie came towards the two, she was closely followed by Bill. "Mom, you know this guy?" Bill questioned. "Of course I do honey, this is Assistant Director Walter Skinner, he's Dana's boss." "You know him Dana?" Bill asked incredulously. "Yes Bill, as Mom said, this is Assistant Director Wally Skinner, he's my boss." "No shi..." Bill muttered before Danny came around and pulled Bill away with him. "Honey are you all right, you look flushed, do you have a fever?" "No Mom, I'm fine, really, it's just a little bit hot in here from the heat." "Okay. It was really nice seeing you Mr. Skinner, merry Christmas." Maggie walked away, and the two returned to the solitary confinement of the warm garage. "Well, what did she say?" Danny asked in anticipation. "Danny sit down." Bill said in a mixture of a morbid and nervous tones. "Dana is acting... very much not herself." "Oh my..." Scully breathed, putting her forehead on Skinner's chest. "Oh my... How am I suppose to look at Bill now?" "I don't know," He smiled. "But you have to admit, that did get your adrenaline pumping" "It wasn't the only thing." She held her head up and they turned around to LEAVE. Hand in hand, they returned to the party, again. Just as Skinner was about to open the door upstairs it opened itself. "Oh Dana honey, I just forgot," Maggie Scully displayed her uncanny ability to locate anyone anywhere. Scully jumped and took her hand from Skinner's. "Yes?" She said in a high voice. "Dear it's getting a bit cold out here why don't you come on in and join everyone?" "Okay mum." Maggie smiled and then left. "Around family is a bad thing." He laughed. "Here," he took off his coat and draped it around her shoulders. "Let's go." He replaced his arm around her petite frame.? "Where?" "I dunno where do you wanna go?" "Feel like a jog?" She suggested as they sneaked out the front door. "I guess, so where are we going?" "Bill's, I want to change, you can too you know, Bill does own clothes that should probably fit you." She looked appreciatively at his form in the street light. When they entered Bill and Tara's house they were informed by the babysitter that Matthew was asleep in his playpen, they thanked the sitter for the downstairs quiet warning and continued up the stairs. They entered the second floor and Dana went into Bill's room taking out some clothes she thought would look suitable on Walter and then went back to her own room with him where she tossed the clothes at him, and she proceeded to remove her dress with him watching reluctantly. "Scully, you've been working out, you look beautiful." He gawked at her figure. "Come on Walter, off with yours too, I'll show you mine if you show me yours, right?" Walter Skinner couldn't help it- he blushed. The problem was he hadn't been to the gym in some time and he was worried what she'd think. "Walter, help me unzip this please." Her straps were off her dress, but the zipper was caught and she couldn't reach. He looked around the room to see if the door was still closed. It was, and the blinds were closed. "Here," He turned her around and reached his hands around to where the zipper was located. Taking the dress in his left hand and the zipper in his right he gently pulled it down to reveal a black slip. "Thank you, I'm changing bras now, don't look." She tugged the slip down from her waist and let it fall to her feet. Now only in panties and a green bra {Oops! (Yea, we're obsessed)} She walked over to her suitcase to get some thing out. " I mean it, scoot!" She brushed Skinner away as she found a sports bra as shed her green one. Skinner couldn't help letting his libido run rampant. This was all too coincidental... like it was a setup, all of it. Smiling at the thought he too undressed himself, back to Scully, and put on jogging pants and a green sweatshirt. He turned around to see if Scully was ready. As he did, she pulled and overly faded University of Maryland shirt over her head. " I worn this shirt to jog since I was a freshman in college." She too, was also in jogging pants. "What, you don't run shirtless?" "It's nippy out there Sir!" She whacked him on the chest. "Don't worry, it'll probably be off by the end." He nodded. "One Problem." He pointed down to his feet dressed in formal shoes that were two sizes bigger than Bill's. "Well we could always stay up here." Scully suggested, she leaned her entire body against the length of his. "As appealing as that sounds Agent Scully, we really do need our exercise. I'm going to go over to Danny's and try desperately to sneak in the back door and grab my running shoes." "You still owe me." She did the best she could to reach and kissed him quickly before leading him back downstairs and out into the frigid night air. Skinner pulled off his little adventure into his brother's house with out detection and returned to the awaiting redhead. "Those are defiantly more suitable for running." Scully stood and they set off into the cold December night. One hour later Skinner had a revelation. "Hey um...Dana, do you realize that neither one of us knows where we're going." It wasn't a question, they had run for awhile and then slowly settled into a romantic walk, arms around each other for warmth. "Yea, I know, I was hoping we'd get lost, but sadly we've come in a big circle, we're back to where our paths part." "Ugh, why can't anything ever go right?" "Tomorrow morning, 5:30, meet me outside the backdoor to your brother's, we've gotta talk...and of course you still owe me." He seized her mouth and embraced her one last time before making his way up Danny's front lawn. When Dana pulled open the front door, she was faced with her mother and brother blocking her path upstairs and to the safety of her room. "Hi." Was all she could squeak out. "Dana honey, where have you been?" Maggie inquired. "It's almost midnight." "I'm sorry, I left the party early to go for a run." She slid past the two and up the stairs Bill the only one on her tail. "Dana what the hell is going on with you? You were making out with your boss! And then both of you disappear from the party like that, what'd you expect everyone to think?" "Well if you hadn't been following me around, and trying to hook me up with every living, breathing, non-FBI male there, you wouldn't even know about Walter. Bill you should be happy, Walter and I have been wanting this for quite a while." "Dana do you know what will happen to you and 'Walter' if you're caught? You'll both be fired, or just separated and demoted!" "Bill, we're not doing anything to get caught! We've just had a little harmless fun, that's all." She stood outside her door waiting for Bill to leave, eventually he did and she was able to enter into her room and clean up the clothing she and Walter had left lying haphazardly around. Four thirty the next morning there was a knock on Dana's door and her mother entered. "Merry Christmas Dana!" Maggie assisted Scully in pulling herself out of bed, she was used to these early morning Scully Christmas's, Dana just hoped an hour would be enough time to wade through the presents and get away from the family gracefully. "Merry Christmas Mum, are Bill and Tara up yet?" "Yes honey, they've got Matty downstairs waiting for you." "You can go on down there, I'm going to go take a shower, you were planning on eating first weren't you?" "Of course, you want us to eat without you?" "Yea, I'm really not hungry right now." "Okay honey." She departed Dana's room closing the door behind her. Scully tossed open her suitcase and removed her green velvet bra and her red velvet panties that she had brought with her because it was a tradition she had started with her roommate in college. They wore velvet underclothing on Christmas because they had had a psychology professor who gave a lecture on the ego boosting effects of pretty lingerie on females... and males. Christmas was the time they both indulged. Scully continued digging through her suitcase pulling out jeans, a green and white plaid flannel shirt, and a beige field jacket. She hopped in the shower, pulling a shower cap over her flaming hair. After a quick wash and leg shave, she was finished and dressed herself. Coming down the stairs she could hear Bill's voice above the softer ones of her mother and Tara. "How long has Dana known her boss, that Walter Skinner guy, Danny's brother?" "Since about a year after she joined Fox at the FBI." Maggie answered. "Have they ever been involved, I mean romantically?" "Not that I know of, he's her superior, besides Dana doesn't tell me anything about her love life." "I really don't think Dana's supposed to be sleeping with her superiors, remember her teacher from Quantico, Jack Willis." Dana was silent, awaiting her mother's response. "I really don't think Dana and Walter would do anything to endanger their jobs. Besides, Dana's in love with Fox, can't you tell?" Scully almost laughed at her mother's comment; She could never imagine herself with Fox Mulder. She decided to make her presence known by nosily walking across the hardwood floor. "You guys ready for presents?" She tried not to glare at Bill for his Jack Willis comment. "Yes." Tara grabbed Matthew out of his seat and they proceeded toward the Christmas tree. Twenty minutes later they were done and Dana announced her need for a walk. She donned her field jacket and made her way out the front door. She looked at her watch and realized she had 15 minutes before she was supposed to meet Skinner and she decided to actually take a short walk. After about five minutes she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Huh?" She turned around and was embraced in strong, warm arms. "Skinner." She breathed a sigh of relief as his scent washed over and consumed her. "So, whatcha doing out here, this freezing Christmas morning?" "Walking, thinking." She took his hand and pulled him with her. "Good, I thought you'd chickened out on me." "Nope, I'm just taking a walk, and pondering how we got to this point between the two of us, and of course what the future will hold." "You're worried about what will happen when we get back top DC, aren't you?" She nodded her head shyly. "Well I don't know what to tell you, I haven't ever felt this way about anyone, ever. I will not let anyone in the Bureau or any silent conspiracy person take that away from me." She smiled and pulled him down to her level for a kiss, one filled with so much passion that it translated her deepest thoughts and emotions to the man who had her wrapped in his arms. "It's could out here, let's go inside." Dana Scully and Walter Skinner stood in Danny's kitchen silently awaiting the whistle that would signal the completion of their tea. "So, where's Danny?" Dana looked around the kitchen for any signs of where the man was. "He has a Christmas tradition, every year on Christmas day he goes into the mountains and 'becomes one' with nature." He rolled his eyes. "So, what time is he coming back?" "Later this afternoon, we're supposed to eat an early dinner together." "Good, that means we have the entire morning, to talk...and do other things." She dragged her hands across his chest as she went to check on the whistling teakettle. 'What kind of 'other' things?" He grabbed her from behind and pulled her body length-wise against his, while she stood preparing the tea. "Oh I don't know, maybe play a board game, drink some tea..." She trailed off as his hands went from her waist to her breasts. "Or we could skip the tea and get into more intimate diversions." "Sounds good to me." He responded, taking her by the hand and leading her up the stairs. Once in Danny's guestroom, the two eyed each other with uncertainty. "Are you sure you want to do this, because after it's done there's no going back. We still have to work together after this, that means we have no regrets." Skinner warned. "Skinner, I want this, I want you." He kissed her then and her body melded into his. The two took their time undressing and were soon in each other's arms rushing together in an explosion of sensation. (Is he in yet?) An hour later the two lay sated on Skinner's bed, their arms and legs tangled together. "You know, we didn't exactly use condomsense." Scully joked. "You know, that never entered into my mind, I guess it's been too long since I've had to worry about that." He pulled her body closer to his, completely warming her petite frame. "Yea, me too." She smiled and kissed his chest where her head lay. "What time is it?" She asked suddenly remembering her family across the street. "Seven." He looked at the clock on the bedside table. "How long did you tell them you'd be gone for?" "I told them I was going for a walk, I'd better call so they don't call out every law enforcement agency...except the FBI, to look for me." "What are you going to tell them? You're across the street making mad passionate love to your boss?" "That, or I decided to go get some breakfast." He rolled over to grab the phone off the nightstand. Scully groaned at the loss of body heat, and the intimate contact. She dialed Bill's number and smiled as Skinner once again wrapped her in his warmth. "Hello." Bill answered. "Bill, it's Dana." "Where the hell are you? It's been over an hour!" "I'm sorry, I decided to get some breakfast, I'll be home in an hour or so." "Do you want me to come and pick you up?" "No Bill, I'd prefer to walk." She muttered her good-byes and handed the telephone back to Skinner. "I sure hoped he believed you." "He doesn't believe anything I say." "Too bad,," He said longingly. "So, how are we going to deal with this when we get back to DC? This isn't just a fling, is it?" "Is a fling all you want?" She lifted her head to look into his eyes. "No, never with you." He kissed her, allowing his hands to travel down her body. "So how are we going to handle this?" She responded, her hands doing some exploring of their own. "You could be a very bad Agent and spend a lot of time in you're AD's office." He suggested. "Or you could just trade jobs with Mulder and spend all of your time in the basement office with me." "I could never imagine Mulder as an Assistant Director, too much responsibility, and too much paperwork." "It would definantly be a different FBI." They both giggled. "Maybe we should only see each other outside the Bureau." He suggested, seriously. "We tell no one, but we're together from the time work ends, until it starts again the next morning?" "That sounds nice." She rolled off him and they lay next to each other in silence. Scully had no regrets of what they had just done, nor did she feel unclean (a.k.a. dirty). She felt enlightened and cheerful, regardless of how religiously unethical it was, or how she would be doffed from her Catholic if they ever found out. After all, behind every good Catholic girl dwells a few secrets that are better left unknown. "I've got to be going, Walt." She sighed. "They'll send the police out searching soon if I wait any longer." She got up and collected her apparel, and Skinner did the same. Fully clothed, the two stood by the door and exchanged a fervently passionate goodbye kiss that would have put even Mulder's best video to shame. "See you soon." She said and smiled as she walked out the door and to her brother's house, Skinner's eyes following her every move. **ONE WEEK LATER** "Well today's the day I leave." Scully said through the phone, sitting on the window ledge looking out the window across the street. A man met her gaze, also on the phone looking out the window. "I'll see you back home." He said. "I love you Walter." "I love you too, Dana." She could see his smile from where she was and it warmed her heart in an indescribable way. Replacing the phone to the receiver she got up and picked her bags up. Moving down stairs she headed to where Bill, Tara, and her mother were located. Bidding their good-byes, she walked out the door followed by her mother. She was grateful her mum had volunteered to drive her to the airport Shortly after they stepped into the car, they were saying their goodbye at the terminal. "Love you." Dana said, and wrapped her arms around her mother. "Love you more." She replied and Dana turned around to walk onto the plane. Choosing a seat by the window, she put her purse below her and leaned her head back. Some time went by and she realized she had fallen asleep. A voice interrupted her. "This seat taken?" Startled she opened her eyes to a man dressed in dress pants and a shirt with a tie. "Of course not." She smiled herself also in a suit. As the plane was taxing out, the man behind them widened his eyes in shock. Mulder thought. The End... Okay so we chickened out...so what!