Title: PAST THE POINT OF NO RETURN Author: Lynn Saunders Website: http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/lynnsaundersfanfic Email: lynnsaundersfanfic@hotmail.com Distribution: Gossamer, of course. Anywhere else too, but please email me and let me know where so I can visit! Rating: PG-13 Classification: SR - Mulder/Scully Spoilers: The Truth Keywords: Mulder/Scully Romance Summary: Mulder and Scully take the next step in the healing process. Submission Date: 06-26-02 Author's Notes: I began this piece no later than five minutes after "The Truth" aired. It has remained on my hard drive since then, but I have finally decided to post it. Obviously, this comes a little late as far as "The Truth" post-eps go. I truly hope this hasn't been done already, but I have a sinking feeling that it probably has. A major reason I have held onto this one for so long is that I was afraid of the "mush" factor. I simply hate mushy and/or trite fan fic for the most part, and I am really worried that I have crossed into the grey area with this one... but then I decided that if I was relatively sure that I only had ten years left to live, I would most certainly not pass up an opportunity to tell or show those close to me how I feel. So, if you get to the end and find yourself rolling your eyes at me, I apologize... However, I couldn't let that ending go no matter how hard I tried. Feedback: Please let me know what you think! Struggling veterinary students need self-esteem! If you like this story and want more, this is the only way to get it. lynnsaundersfanfic@hotmail.com Disclaimer: The characters of Mulder and Scully are the property of Chris Carter and 1013. A break from work is the only thing I am gaining from writing fan fiction. PAST THE POINT OF NO RETURN by Lynn Saunders He had not failed. They had not failed. The cause was not lost, for their hope would live on- hope of changing the course of the future. He would always fight. She would always allow and support his efforts. She would fight by his side. She was not afraid. She would be there with him- always. He sighed as he draped his leg over her hip, snuggling into their embrace. He closed his eyes and drifted into her scent. Eventually, all thoughts of the world outside faded away, for he had learned by necessity to compartmentalize his mind. It had taken a while, but they had both learned to tune out their worries and fears in order to truly appreciate each other's company. They had already discussed the future and what their place should be in attempting to stop it. They were temporarily safe- no one knew their location. Now it was time to concentrate on each other. Neither one of them could move forward alone- they were past the point of no return. There was no further discussion, for they both knew that their future lay at the end of the same path. It was time to repair the damage caused by his absence. Their bodies carried on a conversation in a language all their own. She reached up and brushed his cheek gently with the backs of her fingers, enjoying the feel of his brown stubble. He closed his eyes, pressing his cheek into her hand. Her fingertip traced his bottom lip. He smiled down at her. She answered his gaze warmly. Taking his large hand in hers, she rested it against her cheek, desire flooding her eyes. Accepting her unspoken invitation, he pulled her closer. Their lips met softly in the darkness as he leaned into her. Damn, he had missed this. Minutes- hours- days? passed as he explored her body. His lips graced her cheeks, ears, and neck, but never ventured far before she pulled him back to her mouth. He carefully observed her reactions to his touch- the quickening of her pulse, the intensity of her caresses, the soft sounds that occasionally escaped her lips. Eventually, her hands found the bottom of his t-shirt and lifted it off over his head, the movement making his hair stand up in wild patterns. She had been ages without the sensation of his body against hers- skin on skin. She needed to feel him, to feel that he was alive. The hunger in her eyes matched the intensity of her movements as she drew him to her, willing him to make love to her. There had been many nights- far too many to count- that she lay awake dreaming of this moment. In the beginning of his absence, she could recall every detail from the last night they had spent together. He had spent the night wrapped around her as she held their sleeping son. She could barely remember the sensation of him making love to her- it had been such a long time even then. As time progressed, however, the things she remembered began slipping away slowly- almost unnoticeably- until the night she could no longer feel his hands caressing her body. She had broken down then, unable to quench her desperate need for his touch. But now, Mulder was here. Flesh and blood... a warm, hard, sleek, muscled male pressed against her yearning body. She need not wait any longer, and she needed to feel him now. She took his hand and guided it to the knot that secured her robe. His eyes glistened in the darkness and she smoothed his hair. Snuggling in closer, she captured his lips again. There *was* one thing that needed to be said. Something, she realized, that she could never say enough. Three little words that he could never hear enough. She was no longer concerned with controlling her emotions around him or whether her words might sound overly-romantic or trite. She had wasted far too much time worrying about such things. When faced with the prospect of so very little time remaining, she refused to hold back. She was past the point of no return. She gazed up at him, lacing his fingers with her own as his body pressed against hers. "I love you, Mulder." ****** lynnsaundersfanfic@hotmail.com