From: X-Phan Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 13:48:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: New Story: From Now Until Then by X-Phan Source: direct TITLE: "FROM NOW UNTIL THEN" BY: X-Phan E-MAIL ADDRESS: xphan1013@yahoo.com RATING: PG-13 for one bad word CLASSIFICATION: SR, Story, Romance TIMEFRAME/SPOILER WARNING: As always, set before the last 2 seasons, during the "status quo" time before "the baby", Doggett, Mulder's abduction etc... but no serious spoilers. KEYWORDS: MSR SUMMARY: Bits of their life backwards. ARCHIVE INFO: Can be archived anywhere as long as my name, address and disclaimer stay intact. FEEDBACK: Please email me with any comments, reviews, constructive criticism, etc... DISCLAIMER: The X-Files and the characters of Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting, and are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended, no profit will be gained. BETA-GIRL'S NOTE: Backwards, huh? You're just trying to make more trouble for your beta-girl, aren't you? ___________________________________________________________ The X-Files: "From Now Until Then" by X-Phan *********************** "It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." -Ursula K. LeGuin *********************** Long After Now: They sat together shoulder to shoulder as usual on the porch swing watching the last of the day disappear over the horizon. "Tomorrow's memorial day you know," she remarked. "I remembered." "Did you pick up the flowers yet? I'd like to visit Walter and Melvin in the morning." "I figured we could get them on the way." "That's fine. Oh, I almost forgot, the doctor's office called again. It seems you still haven't scheduled your visit to the proctologist." "Bah. He can stick his finger up his own-" "Mulder it's just a yearly checkup and it's important. Besides you better stay healthy because if you can't keep up with your husbandly duties I may have to see that my needs are taken care of elsewhere." She kidded. "Good luck to him. Maybe I can get some more sleep." He wasn't going to give in so easily. "I am quite a bit younger than you. With just a little hair color I could catch me a young stud eager to learn the ways of the world from an experienced woman." "To me your hair is the same color it always was." "You can't see red." "Like I said." "So what does the sunset look like to you?" "It's nice and I know it's pink. I just have a different concept of pink than you. To me, not seeing it the same can't diminish its beauty since I can't imagine what I'm missing." "You'll just have to trust me when I tell you it's lovely." "That I can do." The darkness settled after a few more minutes and it was time to go back inside. They stood up with much cracking and popping of joints. "I think we're getting old Scully." "Getting was years ago. It's safe to say we've arrived." As they entered the house Mulder gestured back at the swing. "Same time tomorrow?" "It's a date." She answered automatically then turned back to him. "Why do you always ask?" "I once promised myself if I was ever lucky enough to have you love me the same way I loved you that I would never take it for granted. I'll never be convinced I deserve it, but for as long as you're here with me the least I can do is be grateful every single day." The years disappeared from her face under magic of her smile. A While From Now: Mulder checked his watch. He had plenty of time to make it to class. Had he been a student it would not have been advisable to show up for the first time on the last day before exams. As it was it would be difficult to reprimand him, at least academically. Having left work early, Mulder was in a good mood, a dangerously playful mood, and very much looking forward to sitting through a lecture on material about which he knew absolutely nothing. It wasn't the class, but the instructor he was interested in visiting. He followed the mass of people into the lecture hall and chose a seat on the aisle about halfway down toward the stage. He watched in rapt attention as she strode into the room and quieted the class so she could begin. Mulder had abandoned his jacket and tie in the car and rolled up his sleeves but was still hardly inconspicuous among the casually dressed and much younger people in attendance. That's why he was surprised it was fifteen minutes into the lecture before Scully even noticed him. When she did she paused and tilted her head imperceptibly, asking why he was there and also if there was some emergency. Mulder responded with a leering wink, so she continued talking, only looking back at him occasionally. He grinned each time. Mulder listened for a while, but kept being distracted by the only skin he could see. Scully's conservative blouse and jacket concealed everything interesting above the equator, but she was wearing a nice knee length skirt that only served to highlight her shapely calves, which flexed as she walked back and forth across the stage. Unfortunately she had retreated behind the large wooden podium leaving Mulder with nothing to ogle. Ten minutes until the end of class inspiration struck. He raised his hand and waited until she noticed. After a split second of hesitation she nodded to him. "Yes, do you have a question?" "Not about the material, but I was wondering if you could come out from behind the podium so I can see better." "If you can't see from where you're sitting-" "Oh I can see," he cut her off, "I'd just like to see more." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. She raised her eyebrow as she finally got it. The class did as well and murmured. Mulder kept grinning. "Maybe if you spent less time staring and more time listening to what I'm saying, you might learn something." At that point most people turned toward him to watch for a reply. "I have no doubt it's very interesting and valuable knowledge, but I didn't come here for the lecture. I came for the lecturer." Then he stood up and started walking down the aisle to the stage carrying his briefcase while a great many eyes followed him. Scully questioned him again with a look. She came out a few steps to meet him as Mulder strode up to her. Cracking open his briefcase he withdrew a single red rose, which offered to her amid appreciative noises from the crowd. She blushed a little and accepted it. "Uh, thank you." He winked again then looked back to the class. "You guys wanna see her really turn red?" Without waiting for an answer he closed the distance between them and planted a thorough kiss on his shocked ex-partner's open mouth. Holding her against him for five long seconds with a hand behind her neck, Mulder received cheers and applause. All became louder when he stepped back, revealing her face flushed crimson, as promised. "See ya at home honey?" Mulder said, letting everyone else in on the joke. He turned and bounded down off the stage, waving to the class as he walked to the door. As he was leaving Scully had finally collected herself and he heard her say, "As you can imagine, my husband's questionable sense of humor gets him in a lot of trouble. Now, since I've literally kissed any semblance of authority goodbye, I might as well let you leave early." That got almost as many cheers as the kiss. Soon After Now: Mulder's cell phone trilled in his pocket. He dug it out and flipped it open. "Hello?" "Hey it's me." "Hey Scully." "Just calling again to apologize for not being home on your birthday. I'm sorry the seminar ran late and I promise to take you out to eat tomorrow to celebrate." "Don't worry about it Scully, I understand, tomorrow's fine." "I still feel bad. I also called because I wanted you to at least get your present today. I should have brought it to work before, but I didn't think of it. It's sitting on my bed, so go pick it up at my apartment. I want you to call me back right away and tell me if you like it." "That's okay, Scully. I can wait until I see you." "Come on Mulder, I don't want you sulking around your empty apartment all night on your birthday. Humor me. Who knows, maybe you can get some use out of it if you're feeling bored." "Oooo Scully, is it-" "No it's not porn." "I do have other hobbies you know." "Name one." "Maintaining an idyllic marine habitat for various species of aquatic life." "Oh please, I feed your fish more often than you do." "Hmmm, did you know I named the reddish one Dana?" "You've named not less than four red ones 'Dana' and all have died of neglect. Should I be reading something into this perhaps?" "To be fair the second one got eaten by... never mind. You know what, why don't I go and get my birthday present, call you, and tell you how wonderful it is?" "Good idea, and Mulder..." "Yeah?" "Happy birthday." "Thanks Scully." He hung up and headed out to his car wondering what she could have bought him. It probably wasn't a tie since she seemed to indicate it was something from which he could get some enjoyment. Maybe it was a book or she was returning the favor of the sports video. He hoped it even might be something like basketball tickets, which would be better because he could bring her with him. Mulder had to give her credit. She chased away his disappointment with a mystery to solve. She knew his curiosity would keep him occupied for a while. Mulder drove over to her place and parked the car. By the time he reached her door he had a few more guesses in mind. He used his key to get into the apartment and flipped on a light. Her bedroom was a short walk. As he pushed open the door all the air left his lungs and his jaw hit the floor. His present was waiting... in a bra and panties, balancing a Hostess cupcake with a lit candle on her bare stomach. He was mesmerized by the flame for a second then continued his visual journey up her body. She was reclining with her arms above her head. She was concertedly smirking and giving him the Scully-eyebrow. And then there were those eyes. The candle was reflecting in them, but that had nothing to do with the fire he saw. "Wow..." he whispered and finally noticed the last detail. He arms were pulled back because her wrists were handcuffed to the headboard. "HOLY SHIT, Scully!" "You're gonna catch flies with your mouth hanging open like that." He shut it then had to reach down to rearrange a sudden, painful constriction in his pants. This amused her. "I think it's safe to say I gotcha pretty good. Nod your head if you agree I'm the best girlfriend ever." He vigorously nodded. "Now make a wish and blow out the candle." He didn't have to think very hard before leaning over and blowing it out. "What did you wish for?" "Not supposed to tell." "Was it dirty?" He nodded. "Then it'll probably come true." The surreal haze was beginning to ebb from his mind and Mulder connected the candle and her bound hands. "Scully! Do you know how dangerous that was? If the cake had tipped over and lit the bed on fire you could have been trapped here and burned to death." "Relax Mulder," she said, flicking something at him she'd been holding in her hand. It hit the floor and he could see it was a shiny metal key. "I had an escape plan. It was a calculated risk. Besides, I only lit the candle and locked the cuffs when I heard you open the front door. Of course," she grinned, "had it been my building supervisor, HE might have gotten himself an early birthday present." Mulder calmed down a bit and smiled. "That reminds me. Where's mine? I see my cake but no gift." "Right here, one pair of slightly used Victoria's Secret French-cut bikini briefs. I thought the green would match your eyes. Although I'm not going to give them up without at least a little struggle." He growled and she grinned wider. "Scully you do look good enough to eat, but up to this point we haven't done more than kissed. I thought you wanted to take things slow." "I did. Now I want to go really, really fast. And hard. Do you have any objections?" "None that come to mind." "I didn't think so. After that first kiss we both knew it was inevitable and this way I can save money on your present." They both laughed at that. "Anyone ever tell you you're an incorrigible tease?" "I appreciate the compliment, however I doubt a tease would allow herself to be restrained and consequently helpless to protect herself from being despoiled by her suitor." "Despoiled? Suitor? Have you been reading trashy romance novels because you really seem to be getting into this?" "I've been known to enjoy the occasional bodice-ripper. We all have our guilty pleasures. If you don't like despoiled, how about defiled, ravished, ravaged?" "I think I can live with ravished." "Why don't you start by eating your chocolate cupcake." "Okay." "And Mulder..." "Hmmm?" "No hands." Just Now: The day things would change forever, was for them, perhaps anticlimactic. They had always reached for each other in times of crisis, need, pain, but the event that finally altered the nature of their relationship came during just the opposite of circumstances. On a long flight home after a trivial case they sat together on a mostly empty plane. Scully had been reading a book that couldn't seem to hold her interest, when she glanced over at Mulder. His head was back against the seat, tilted slightly away from her. His eyes were closed and his breathing steady. He appeared as if he might slide off the seat onto the floor were he not belted to it. Looking at him sitting beside her, Scully was struck with a sudden impulse. The dangerous kind a person has, that begs you to do something unthinkable simply to see if you could get away with it, especially if you got caught. Imagining getting caught sent Scully's pulse racing and her heart thudding loudly in her chest. A simple flight of fancy had sent adrenaline surging through her veins and stolen her ability to breathe. It was crazy, foolish, and silly, even though he was asleep and almost certainly would never know. The consequences could be disastrous and for what? A cheap thrill? Maybe it was more than that but even so. No of course not, she realized, she couldn't, she wouldn't. As her heartbeat slowed and breathing returned to normal, Scully felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment, as if she had somehow let herself down. Was it better judgment that stayed her or just cowardice, caving in to fear of the possibilities? Scully asked herself when had she become so accustomed to playing it safe, so afraid of living and of risking harm to get her share of happiness? As if someone else was in control her body Scully felt herself unclasp her seatbelt and bring a knee up under herself so she could lean over him. When her mouth was just an inch from his ear, the heat of his body, his scent, his presence, combined with the thrilling rush of what she was about to do, drove the last bit of self-doubt from her mind. She had been waiting for this, dreaming about this moment for so long and nothing was going to stop her. She slowly took a deep breath and got closer, almost touching him. This was it. For bad or good the time had come. "I love you," she whispered. A brief eternity passed before his eyes snapped open and he turned to see the shocked expression on her face. "I... I didn't mean..." "Didn't mean it or didn't mean for me to hear it?" She looked down and nodded to indicate the latter. "Then why?" "I don't know what to say. I just couldn't help myself. I imagined what it would feel like to say it and then it was the most important thing in the world that I do." "I'm glad you did." He tilted her chin up so their eyes met. "Could I hear it again?" "Okay... I love you." She said louder this time. "I love you too Scully." "I know. I think I always knew." "You did?" "Just because we've never said the words before doesn't make it any less true. I guess I just realized that." Mulder nodded and bringing his hands up to cup her face, he gently pressed his lips to hers. It wasn't a kiss, merely the physical manifestation of two souls acknowledging they were already joined together forever. Long Before Now: The elevator dinged and the door slid open. Dana Scully stepped out into the basement and came to an office secluded in the back. She knocked on the door. "Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted." She opened it to see Agent Mulder sitting at his desk, going over some slides. Walking slowly to him, she noticed various pictures of UFO's and a poster that reads 'I Want to Believe'. He looked up at her. "Agent Mulder, I'm Dana Scully, I've been assigned to work with you." The End ___________________________________________________________ This has been waiting to be finished for quite a while. It may not exactly be a unique idea, but it's how you take something and make it your own that counts. By all means tell me if you like it or don't and why. Send all comments to xphan1013@yahoo.com.