Title: The Letter
Author: Virtues & Vices (AKA Virtie)
E-mail: virtuesandvices@aol.com
WebSite: http://www.geocities.com/fanficcorner/
Rating: PG
Category: M/S UST
Classification: SA - Story/Angst
Spoilers: Several little ones, the most recent being from
'Orison' 
Archive: Anywhere, just keep my name on it and tell me where
it is so I can visit.
Summary: Scully gets a job offer she can't refuse.
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine! I have no money. I'm
making no money from this. Please don't sue!
Author's Note: This was my very first XF story, written one
slow day at work back in May 2000. Amazingly enough, people
liked it, so I wrote more. 'The Letter' started a series of
stories. It continues with 'Eyes in the Night', 'Someday',
and 'Wambli'.

************************************************************
The Letter-

FBI Headquarters

Scully sat at Mulder's desk, her chin propped on her hand,
staring at the letter in front of her. She'd never received
a letter like this before. Had she gotten it a couple of
years ago, she would have suspected that it was just another
method of separating her and Mulder. But most of that was
past them now. The conspiracy was destroyed. And though CGB
Spender was still alive, his power seemed to have abated.

So what did Scully do with this? It was an offer she was
finding very hard to refuse. But could she accept it? Could
she leave DC? The X-Files? Mulder?

Mulder walked in, a goofy grin on his face. "Sorry I'm
late," he apologized. "My car didn't want to start this..."
he stopped, suddenly noticing the look on his partner's
face. "What's wrong?"

Without a word, Scully handed him the letter. She watched
his face carefully as he read it, saw his hazel eyes darken
as its meaning became clear. Finally, he looked up, but he
refused to meet her eyes with his own. "Congratulations,
Scully."

"Do you really mean that?" she challenged.

His eyes met hers, finally, and she saw how the green had
overpowered the brown, like it always did whenever he was
angry, upset, or otherwise highly emotional. "Of course I
mean it. This is the opportunity of a lifetime." He nodded
his head at the letter. "You'd be a fool to turn it down.
Hell, they'd never offer it to me."

Scully stood up, shaking her head. "You are a brilliant
agent. You've been in the Bureau longer than I have. You
should have been offered this!" 

An amused glint appeared in Mulder's eyes. "Can you imagine
a regional ASAC nicknamed 'Spooky'?" He shook his head
sadly. "Never happen." He stepped over and placed his hands
on her shoulders, looking down at her. She was so much
smaller than him, even in her heels. "Take it".

Scully was shocked to find tears in her eyes. She refused to
let them fall, but her voice cracked when she said, "Are you
really that anxious to get rid of me?"

Her attempt at humor fell flat as Mulder, his voice dark,
replied, "Never." He pulled back, letting her go. "But this
is what you should be doing. Being a leader. Not wasting
away in this basement with me." He waited for Scully to
respond. She couldn't. She wanted this job. It was what
every FBI agent aspired to, a position of power. Yet, she
would stay if he asked her to. 

He didn't. 

"Let's get to work," he said, then turned away. Scully took
a deep breath, then followed.

She had never felt so alone.

************************************************************ 

Scully's Apartment                                                            
                                                                             
Three Weeks Later:

Scully sat down, taking a break from her cleaning, and gazed
around her living room. There was so much yet to do! Most of
the furniture was staying with the apartment, but plenty of
stuff had yet to be packed and ready for the moving company
which would take it all to her new home across the country.
She would miss this place. Despite all the bad things that
had happened here, it had been her home for almost 10 years
now. The only place she felt as comfortable was Mulder's.
She'd miss that place, too. 

Scully's apartment had already been leased out to its new
occupants, though she wasn't leaving for another 3 days. She
wondered if the landlord had revealed the several break-ins,
the abduction, the deaths.

She looked over at the floor where Donny Pfaster had died,
not far from where her own sister had been shot. New carpet
marked the spot. Mulder had insisted that she stay at his
place the night of Pfaster's attack, and he had taken
control of the clean-up, as well. Though she had been
comfortable and safe in Mulder's bed (he had slept on the
couch, as usual), she had spent the next several nights in a
motel. She joked that she wanted to save Mulder's
"reputation". She remembered the odd look she had received
from him at that statement.

Now she was leaving behind the safety Mulder represented.
She laughed softly to herself. Here she was, Miss
Independent, upset that she was going to be alone in a
strange new city. How had Mulder done that to her? How had
he sneaked under her skin so thoroughly?

Scully considered that she might simply be embarrassed that
she felt so bad about leaving, but Mulder seemed to be
devoid of emotion, almost as if he didn't care. He had never
asked her to stay, and in every conversation about her new
job, he turned suddenly cool and oh-so polite. She knew he
loved her, but was he really so "happy" for her that he
refused to show any sadness, any regret, at her leaving? She
didn't expect him to lay on the floor, kicking and
screaming, but some sign, any sign, that he would miss her
would be nice.

A familiar knock sounded at the door, startling her out of
her daydreaming. "Come in," she called, and stood, going
back to her cleaning.

Mulder walked in, eyebrows raised. "How'd you know it was
me?" 

Scully glanced at him. "I just knew." 

Mulder stood for a while, watching her as she dusted the
coffee table. Finally, she looked at him again. "Did you
want something, Mulder?" 

Mulder smirked. "As a matter of fact, yes." He held out his
hand to her. "Get your shoes on and grab a jacket. You're
coming with me." 

Scully straightened from her bend. "What!?"

"Come on," he motioned with his hand. "I've got to show you
something."

Scully sighed. "Mulder, I have to finish this! There's so
much more to do before I leave." 

Mulder grimaced. "You'll have time to finish later. Now come
on." He knew Scully wouldn't refuse him anything.

She knew it, too. Five minutes later, she left the apartment
with Mulder, anticipation and nervousness warring inside
her. 

************************************************************ 
Casey's Bar & Grill 
6:13 P.M.

"SURPRISE!!!"

Scully stopped short in the doorway to Casey's and gaped in
astonishment. About 50 employees from the Bureau, agents and
others, including her mother and AD Skinner, were packed
into the front room of the restaurant. With a grimace, she
whispered over her shoulder so only Mulder could hear, "Gee,
Mulder. You shouldn't have."

Speaking just as softly in return, Mulder replied, "It was
your mother's idea. If I'd had my way, it would have been
just you and me and a candlelight dinner." 

Scully turned startled eyes toward him, not knowing if he
was teasing or serious. Sometimes, she could never tell,
even after seven years at his side. But before she could
question him, he gently ushered her further into the room
with a hand pressed firmly against the small of her back.

Scully hated surprise parties. Yet, she was amazed at the
amount of people that had turned out to say goodbye. The
rest of the evening turned into a blur of faces, some
familiar, some not. Some may have been friends had her job
been different. Even Tom Colton, an old friend from Academy
days was there. And he wasn't the only one happy to see
Scully finally going to do something "important" with her
life. Every statement like that made her feel defensive.
Despite what Mulder and others said, she did not feel like
the last few years of her life had been a waste.

Finally, the crowd dwindled. Scully went in search of
Mulder, who had been avoiding her all evening. He had also
been drinking far too much, which was uncharacteristic of
him. She only remembered him being drunk once, just before
their fiasco in Texas with the bees. But even then he was
alert and coherent. Not the case now.

"Give me your keys," she said without preamble.

"Huh?"

"I'm not letting you drive me home in your condition." She
held out her hand.

Mulder began fumbling in his front pocket for his keys. "I
hadn't planned on driving, Scully." He looked hurt that she
would consider such a thing. "You can drive me home." He
started to hand her the keys. 

"Then how do I get home?" She asked lightly.

Mulder gave her a drunken leer. "You can stay at my place." 
Scully decided to play along with him. She looked him up and
down with raised eyebrows. "In your condition? I don't think
so." 

He looked surprised. "You mean you'd consider it if I was
sober?" 

Scully hesitated, not sure how far this teasing should go.
She raised her chin and said stiffly, "What exactly are we
talking about, here?"

"Ah, there she is." Mulder nodded in satisfaction. "I was
wondering when the Ice Queen would make her appearance." 
Scully had heard that nickname applied to her before, but
never from Mulder. She felt anger well up inside her, as
well as hurt. Did he really think that way about her? "Well,
just for that, you can ride home with Skinner," she snapped.
"I'll get a ride home with my mother."

She turned to walk away, but he reached out and grabbed her
firmly by the arm. She swung toward him, her eyes flashing.
"Scully, I..." He squeezed her arm lightly, then let her go
and backed away. "That sounds like a good idea. I'll see you
tomorrow." He turned and walked unsteadily towards Skinner. 
Tomorrow. Scully's last day with the X Files. As she turned
to find her mother, she couldn't help but wonder what Mulder
had been about to say. 

************************************************************
FBI Headquarters 

'You'd think that after 9 years in the FBI, I'd be used to
paperwork!' Scully thought to herself. It sometimes seemed
as if that was what the Bureau was all about: paper. And it
would only get worse after she moved to Spokane. As
Assistant Special Agent In Charge with the northwest's
division of the FBI, she would not only have her own
paperwork, but she would have to oversee the work filed by
the agents under her.

She looked up from her work at Mulder, who was intently
studying pictures contained in a file on a recent unsolved,
unusual, murder. It was his next case. His next X File. But
not hers. She sighed. She couldn't believe she would
actually miss chasing ghosts, ghouls and goblins. She shook
her head. Frightening. 

"So," she broke the silence. "Have they picked a new partner
for you yet?"

Mulder looked at her, his eyes wide. "God, I hope not. They
should know better than that by now." 

"Mulder, they're not going to let you work alone," Scully
reasoned. "They'll have to have someone keep an eye on you."

"Well, I wish them luck in finding someone who'll be able to
put up with me and my ideas. Remember how I was when we
first started to work together?" He waited for Scully's wry
nod. "Multiply that times 100, and not even the most sainted
of individuals would stay with me for long."

Scully frowned, but she knew Mulder could see the corners of
her mouth twitching. Their eyes met, a simple connection
that had occurred many times before in the past seven years.
Scully, who was still a little peeved at him from the night
before, retorted, "Well, I was certainly never a saint."

"Close enough," Mulder said quietly, his gaze dropping back
down to his file. He winced ever so slightly, but Scully saw
it. 

"Head hurt?" She wasn't about to let him off the hook yet.

His mouth twisted into a smile of sorts. "Go ahead. I know
you've been waiting to bitch me out since this morning. I'm
sorry I got drunk and I'm sorry I said such an obnoxious
thing to you. I really don't think of you like that."

"It's O.K., Mulder. I wasn't exactly at my best, either."

Mulder stood suddenly and walked over to his jacket hanging
on the coat rack by the door. "I was kind of a jerk last
night, I know, but I just don't see your leaving as a cause
for celebration." He pulled something out of his jacket
pocket. "I thought about giving this to you last night, but
maybe it's better I give it to you here, in the office, with
no audience." He walked over to her and handed her an oblong
box wrapped in the Sunday comics.

Scully took it from him and slowly unwrapped it, her fingers
trembling slightly. In the box were two name plaques, one
for a door, and one for a desk. "DANA K. SCULLY". She lifted
her eyes to Mulder's. 

He smiled sadly. "It's about time you got your own desk."
Then he turned away before Scully's tears had a chance to
fall.

************************************************************
Dulles International Airport

It was time to go and Mulder wasn't anywhere in sight.

Scully stood at Gate 52 in Dulles International Airport,
hugging her mother tightly. Despite all the people at her
party, Maggie was the only one there to see her off. Scully
stepped back and, with a twinge of guilt, looked over her
mother's shoulder at the masses of people crowding the
terminal, her eyes searching for one person in particular.
Maggie noticed her daughter's look and said in a quiet,
comforting voice, "I'm sure he wants to be here. He's
probably just tied up somewhere." She knew very well who her
daughter was looking for. 

Scully looked back at Maggie with a sad smile. "I know."
Then she glanced behind her as they called her flight. "I
better get on board." She picked up her carry-all and turned
toward the gate.

"Scully!" She turned at the shout, hearing it over the drone
of hundreds of milling people. Her eyes searched the crowd
and quickly found Mulder moving in her direction.

Scully felt a relieved smile spread across her face. Maggie
smiled as well, and stepped away, allowing her daughter and
Mulder their privacy.

"I'm sorry," Mulder started to explain.

"It's okay," Scully interrupted. "You're here."

Mulder sighed and simply looked at her for a while. Finally,
"I'll miss you, Scully. I don't know what I'm going to do
without you to complain to and throw my ideas at. Even if
all you do is contradict them." He smiled.

Scully laughed softly. "Just E-mail me, Mulder. I'll answer,
I promise." 

"You'd better." He became serious. "Well, I guess you better
go." He held out his hand. "It has been a pleasure working
with you, Agent Scully." His voice was husky, and his eyes
had darkened to that incredible green. 

"And you, Agent Mulder." Scully put her hand in Mulder's.
The handshake that followed was worlds different than the
one shared between the two of them seven years earlier when
they first met.

Then Mulder did the unexpected.

He pulled Scully toward him in a gentle tug that demanded
rather than requested. Scully had no desire to argue. Her
heart sped up as Mulder's head dipped down toward hers. His
lips brushed hers with a feather-like touch, and when Scully
didn't pull back, he pressed harder, bringing his left hand
up to her hip, pulling her lower body closer.

Scully couldn't help but respond. This was no New Years kiss
between friends. She may never get this chance again! She
brought both hands to his shoulders, and as she felt his
arms wrap around her back, she moved hers tightly around his
neck. The kiss deepened, becoming one of passion. A passion
long denied. Their tongues met. Their breathing quickened.
Their hearts started beating in unison. 

Scully gloried in the feel of Mulder's hair between her
fingers, at the hint of coffee she tasted on his breath.
Yes, she had been alone a long time, but even before, it had
never been like this! This was more than a meeting of
passions and desires. This was a meeting of souls.

And it was goodbye.

With tears flowing freely now, Scully pulled herself away.

"I do love you, Scully," Mulder whispered. "Never doubt
that." 

"I know, and I won't," she replied through silent tears. She
leaned back and looked up at him. "I love you, too, Mulder."

With that, she picked up her carry-all, which she had
dropped during the kiss, and turned to board the plane. She
glanced back only once, to see tears in the eyes of the man
she considered her other half.

THE END

How do you define normal?