From: bellydancergirl7@aol.com   
      
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   All notes disclosed in chapter one.   
      
   Additional author's notes: I apologize for the delay.  I planned to   
   have this chapter out sooner but lucky me, I'm one of those people   
   that get distracted a lot.   
      
   Additional disclaimer/note:  The story mentioned in the latter half   
   of this chapter isn't mine.  It's the plot of a story titled "Cost of   
   a Glance" written by Buffelyn for The Mummy.  I recommend it to   
   everyone, even if you're not interested in The Mummy.  It's one of   
   the best stories out there.  It's going to seem a little sad but if   
   you read the actual story, it's extremely romantic.   
      
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   July 4, 1998   
      
   Pettegolezzi   
      
   The Fourth of July, America's Independence Day; a day of parades,   
   cookouts, family gatherings, remembering fallen veterans and   
   fireworks.   
      
   For Dana Scully, it meant a day of reuniting with relatives she   
   hardly saw.  Her brother's were in town and her sister didn't make   
   herself scarce.  She got to catch up on the family gossip she   
   wouldn't admit she loved listening to.  She got to listen to her   
   mother ask her why she wasn't in a relationship.  But this year was   
   different.  She'd spend her time avoiding such questions.   
      
   Her personal relationship with Mulder was still new, still growing.   
   They were still in a delicate stage, despite how much they'd spoken   
   to each other over the last four days.  He called her at night when   
   he knew she was off duty.  They spent hours talking.  He still   
   visited her on her break, if he wasn't following up on a case at   
   least.   
      
   She still had a hard time believing how perfect they seemed for each   
   other.  He was hardly the type she fell for.  It seemed cliché to her   
   as well that he fit the tall, dark, and handsome mold.  Maybe that's   
   why she hadn't had a date in years.  Maybe Mulder was exactly what   
   she needed.  She was falling fast.   
      
   "Earth to Dana," she heard.  Her younger brother's hand came into her   
   vision and she quickly pushed it away. "What are you thinking about   
   so hard?"   
      
   "Nothing," she lied. "Just… thinking."   
      
   Melissa eyed her sister.  She had noticed something different about   
   her sister ever since she saw her earlier in the day.  It bothered   
   her she couldn't figure out what.  She was usually so good at that   
   type of thing.   
      
   "Thinking about a boy?" Charlie teased, catching the attention of   
   their mother a few chairs over.   
      
   "No, I'm not."   
      
   Charlie changed his words. "Thinking about a man?"   
      
   Dana hesitated.  Her cheeks flushed but she still denied it.   
   Melissa's eyes twinkled.   
      
   "You have a boyfriend. That's what's so different about you."   
      
   Dana opened her mouth to deny it but her mother cut her off.   
      
   "Is that true, Dana? Do you?"   
      
   Her brother Bill piped up. "I think we're gonna have to meet this   
   guy."   
      
   Dana shot Melissa an evil look. "Thanks a lot, Missy." She turned to   
   the rest of her family. "Nobody's going to meet him. He's not my   
   boyfriend. New subject."   
      
   Amazingly enough, they moved on to family gossip.  But Melissa   
   didn't.  She moved closer to her sister instead.   
      
   "Have you had sex yet?"   
      
   "Missy!"   
      
   But she had an innocent look. "What? It's not like we're 16 anymore.   
   I doubt mom or dad think any of us are virgins anymore. Well, on   
   second thought, they might think you are."   
      
   "Trust me, I'm not. But we've only been on one date."   
      
   "Well, how long have you known each other?"   
      
   Dana looked down at her lap sheepishly. "A month and a day. But we   
   were only friends until he asked me out."   
      
   Missy gapped at her. "Now I want to know what this guy looks like.   
   Describe."   
      
   A smile shadowed on Dana's lips.  Mulder's smile immediately appeared   
   in her mind.   
      
   "He has the most gorgeous smile and the most beautiful eyes.  He's   
   tan but not grossly so. He works out daily so he has this amazing   
   body. Brown hair. Tall. He's…" she seared for the right word, too   
   many words became him, "he's perfect." She shot a look at her   
   sister. "And he's all mine."   
      
   Missy gave her another innocent look but said nothing. "Did he kiss   
   you at the end of the night?" she wondered, feeling like she was a   
   little girl again, gossiping with her sister late at night.   
      
   "Yes."   
      
   "And?"   
      
   "And… there aren't words to describe it."   
      
   "And is that good or bad?'   
      
   Dana let out a laugh. "Extremely good."   
      
   Missy smiled greatly at the look on her sister's face.  She looked so   
   happy, so complete, so… so in love.   
      
   "Sounds like you got one lucky catch."   
      
   Dana gazed up at the sky, the fireworks just beginning.  She   
   stretched her arms high above her head, a smile on her lips.   
      
   "Yeah, I do."   
      
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   Fiaba   
      
   Dana excused herself from the group when her cell phone rang.  She   
   quickly moved away toward the parking lot.  She smiled at the thought   
   of who it was.   
      
   "Hey, you," she greeted.   
      
   "Hey, how'd you know it was me?" He could hear her smile over the   
   phone.   
      
   "I'm psychic," she said sarcastically.  She glanced back at her   
   family only to find them all looking at her.  She moved further away   
   from them to her car, leaning against the trunk. "What are you doing   
   right now?"   
      
   At his apartment, he pulled back the blinds just a little   
   more. "Looking at the moon, thinking about you," he told her in a   
   soft voice that made her want to melt.   
      
   She smiled. "Then I'll look at the moon, too; then we'll be together."   
      
   "Is it crazy that I can't stand to be away from you?" he asked   
   suddenly, his voice all serious.   
      
   "No because I feel the same way."   
      
   She could practically see his smile even if he had said nothing.  All   
   during the fireworks, she couldn't stop thinking about him or how   
   much she wanted to be with him instead.  They had managed to keep   
   professional at work for the remainder of the week.  He did insist on   
   another date just the night before, though.  They'd spent their time   
   watching movies into the late hours of the night, cuddling up next to   
   each other on his couch.  She never wanted that evening to end.   
      
   Suddenly she had an idea.   
      
   "Tell me a story."   
      
   "What?"   
      
   "A story. Tell me one."   
      
   He stuttered for a moment before agreeing. "Okay, I have the perfect   
   one.  It might seem a bit sad but I like it and I bet you will, too."   
      
   He cleared his throat dramatically and got his voice ready for story   
   mode.  She rolled her eyes.   
      
   "Seven souls struck down by fate.  One survivor, to tell the tale.   
   This is the story of star crossed lovers, a warrior and a princess   
   forbidden to love one another.  They catch the eyes of each other   
   from across the courtroom, a party moving around them.  Both fall in   
   love but don't realize until later.   
      
   "It starts out innocently, a friendship.  Visions begin to plague the   
   man at night.  He must know no harm has come to her.  He goes to her   
   in the middle of the night where her own problems plague her from   
   sleeping.  Friends cross to lovers.   
      
   "It's exciting but dangerous because her father, the king, and the   
   country would never allow their love.  Only her guard stationed at   
   her door and the warrior's brother know about their forbidden love.   
      
   "Tragedy strikes.  Her father is murdered by his future wide and her   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)