By Christine Leigh
leighchristine@hotmail.com
 

RATING: G
CATEGORY: V, MSR
SPOILERS: None.
SUMMARY: Post-episode vignette for "Empedocles."  Scully and
the pizza man spend a little quiet time together.
DISCLAIMER: All characters are the products of Chris Carter.
They also belong to Ten-Thirteen Productions and the Fox
Network. An excerpt of dialogue from the episode "Empedocles"
is included.  No copyright infringement intended.

Private Party
By Christine Leigh

"But then that's the other gift that you gave me, Mulder.
Courage . . . to believe.  And I hope that's a gift I can
pass on."  Her eyes are shining bluer than usual as she
speaks these words.  Mulder wonders if there is a more
beautiful color in the world, and guesses not.

It is one of those moments.  The kind where everything
right can happen, if only it would; where he knows
the possibilities for once are real, instead of half-baked
pipe dreams that were never really even half-baked if he's
going to be honest with himself.  There are so many things he
wants to give Scully and to say to her, but he hasn't found
his way back into her world just yet.  He'd stumbled onto the
doll by accident and had immediately thought of her, but then
had stopped in his tracks.  Would she really like the
funny- looking thing?  Well, to him it looked funny.  But his
mother or grandmother, or whomever it had belonged to must
have cherished it once, so perhaps Scully would as well.
He'd deliberated for two days before toting it down to the
gift wrap department at Macy's, and now wonders why he'd
ever worried as he looks upon her holding it and smiling like
a little girl who has just opened the best gift under
the Christmas tree.

He isn't sure of what to do next, but the need to touch her is
powerful, so he raises his hand slowly to Scully's cheek and
cups it as he's done so many times in the past.  He's never
made this gesture while containing the emotion he
is experiencing at this moment, and miracle of miracles,
when he looks up, he believes he is seeing the same in her.
Perhaps, he thinks, he has been too careful about
everything, too hesitant.  Several seconds pass as they just
look at each other and enjoy being together in a way that they
really have not been since he returned.  God knows that
they've tried, but evidently not hard enough.  It seemed
always that they were in a very crowded room among people who,
though well intentioned, didn't seem to notice that what he
and Scully wanted and needed the most was space.  They have a
life to plan, or rather two lives to join and a third one to
plan for, and it is high time to clear the room of the people
who have overstayed their time.  This party is now a private
one.

Scully moves first, taking his hand and placing it on her
belly.  She has waited so long to do this, and the other
night in the hospital when he'd done it himself, it was as if
a spell had been broken.  Something had shifted, and in the
right direction for a change.  Mulder grins, but doesn't
speak.  Feeling the music their child is making beneath his
touch while looking at Scully is something that moves his
heart to a place it's never before been.  It is wonderful and
warm there, and he wants to stay.  He wants to stay forever.

"Mul . . ."

"Scully . . ."

They both laugh.  Then Scully speaks.  "Mulder, do you want
some pizza?"

"No.  Not this minute.  Do you want tea, or anything else?"

"No.  I'm fine."  Hearing that always elicits a knowing
grin from Mulder, and he doesn't miss this opportunity.
Scully sees it play across his lips and wonders if the baby
will have his smile.  That would be lovely.

"Can we just sit here together, Mulder?"  She moves closer to
him as she is asking this and is in his arms before he
can answer.  Not that he really needs to answer.  They
could have done this entire evening without
verbal communication, as they well know.  Or know again
after having taken an unscheduled break.

"Nothing I'd rather do," he says softly into her ear, and
kisses it to seal the deal.  Mulder loves Scully's ears.  They
are so delicate and perfectly shaped.  He hopes the baby has
her ears.  He has hope for so many things tonight, but first
things, first.  He assesses the congealing pizza on the coffee
table.

"Scully, are you sure about the regular pizza man?  He
won't feel stood up?"  He can feel the vibration of her body
as she is stifling a laugh.  Oh, how he loves her.  Her body
finally quiets.

"Mulder, there was ever only one pizza man."  She squeezes his
hand as she says this.

"I see."

"Good.  And one more thing."

"What?"

"He's home, that is, if he wants to be."

"He's always wanted to be, Scully.  Always."  She is
getting sleepy in his arms, so he leans back and she is able
to recline some more.  He kisses her temple and watches her
try to stay awake, but can see that she will soon be out.

"Scully, go to sleep.  I'll be here when you wake up."
 

- end  -
 

http://cleigh6.tripod.com