From: bellydancergirl7@aol.com   
      
   All notes disclosed in chapter one. Also, the date in chapter one is   
   wrong. It should be October 16, 1999   
      
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   `They say I'm not the girl they used to know   
   `Cause I don't always wear revealing clothes   
   But don't be fooled a moment, I can't hold   
   I'm lettin' loose, `cause then I'd probably choke'   
      
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   October 18, 1999   
      
   Mulder feigned sleep the next morning when Dana came in. He'd been   
   thinking about what he was going to say to her and he still had no   
   clue. He couldn't just start it off `So, you're engaged.' He needed   
   something intelligent to say.   
      
   He heard the rustle of papers on his left, knowing she was checking   
   his vitals. He felt her pull down his gown away from his shoulder so   
   she could check his wound. Soft fingers pressed around the wound. He   
   just couldn't resist.   
      
   "Good morning, Dr. Scully," he greeted in a low rumble.   
      
   Dana jumped back, a hand covering her heart. "Jesus, Mulder! I   
   thought you were asleep."   
      
   He opened his eyes and lolled his head over to look at her. God. Even   
   though he was semi-angry at her, she still took his breath away.   
      
   "Nope, I was just faking it in case you wanted to take advantage of   
   me." His playful eyes turned apologetic when he saw her take in a few   
   deep breaths. "I'm sorry."   
      
   She didn't say anything. She just moved back over to him once she was   
   sure her heart rate was back to normal. Or as normal as it could get   
   around him.   
      
   She pressed her fingers back to his shoulder. "Have any trouble with   
   it last night? Any pain right now?"   
      
   "No and no. I think this is going to be my fastest recovery ever," he   
   mused with a smile. "Must be my excellent doctor."   
      
   She still chose to keep quiet. He watched her face as she quietly   
   worked. There was a story behind the face and he wanted to read every   
   line of it.   
      
   Mulder pulled her left hand into his good one, his thumb brushing   
   against her ring finger. He noticed how soft her skin was but he also   
   noticed…   
      
   "Where's your ring?" he wondered. His eyes traveled up to hers and   
   saw the lie forming there.   
      
   "What ring?"   
      
   "Your engagement ring from Dr. Waterston."   
      
   Her eyes broke away from his. The atmosphere grew somber. Her voice   
   grew soft. "I know you didn't hear that from Anna."   
      
   He shook his head. "No, your fiancé stopped to ask where you were   
   last night and he happened to be right outside my door. I'm a little   
   heartbroken."   
      
   He tightened his grip on her hand when she tried to pull   
   away. "Mulder, please," she begged, "I have to finish this and be on   
   my way. I have another patient checking in soon."   
      
   "Just answer me one question and I'll let you go," he promised. At   
   her nod, his grip lessened but he pulled her closer. "Are you happy?"   
      
   Her eyes fell downcast. He could see her putting up a defense shield.   
   What happened to the lovely, smiling woman he'd been annoying   
   yesterday?   
      
   "Yes," she whispered but he could tell she was lying.   
      
   He slowly nodded like he believed her but he still didn't release her   
   hand. He didn't feel her pulling away either. Instead, he laced their   
   fingers together, smiling inwardly at how perfect they fit.   
      
   "Okay, then answer me this one last thing."   
      
   "What?" She looked up at him.   
      
   "Go out with me sometime."   
      
   Dana blinked a few times before answering. *Did he really say what I   
   think he said?*   
      
   "What did you say?"   
      
   "Go out with me sometime."   
      
   "But I'm engaged. You know I'm engaged. Shouldn't that stop you?" she   
   babbled on.   
      
   But Mulder couldn't be swayed. "No, it just makes me want to try   
   harder."   
      
   "Mulder…"   
      
   He squeezed her hand to stop her. "Just think about it. We still have   
   another day together."   
      
   Surprisingly her face softened. Her fingers gently caressed his in   
   the slightest way. Her heart was fluttering at the look in his eyes.   
   She could feel her knees giving out.   
      
   She opened her mouth with the intent to lie to him but when she saw   
   that lower lip jut out, she chickened out.   
      
   "You have my word that I'll think about it," she promised.   
      
   And damn it, by the time she was leaving for home that night, she was   
   still thinking about it.   
      
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   November 2, 1999   
      
   "Dr. Scully, you have a visitor in your office," Kelly told her when   
   she stopped to sign papers.   
      
   "Male or female?" She really hoped it wasn't Mr. Daniels again. That   
   man really needed to learn to listen to instructions.   
      
   "Male, he's been there for a few minutes."   
      
   "Thank you, Kelly." She slipped the pen under the clip of the   
   clipboard and started for her office. "Mrs. Greenlee is still asleep.   
   Give her her medicine when she wakes up, please."   
      
   Dana didn't wait for a reply, just made her way to her office   
   quickly. She hadn't seen Mulder for two weeks. She often found   
   herself thinking of him late at night before she went to bed. She   
   couldn't deny that he'd had an impact on her the four days he was in   
   her care. But she also knew that since then, she'd thrown herself   
   into her work. She was working as many shifts as she could. Daniel   
   didn't like it but she needed to do it. She needed to prove to   
   herself that she really did love Daniel and that she was happy with   
   him.   
      
   She opened her office door with her head held high, feeling confident   
   once more about her decision. She put on her work smile and stepped   
   through.   
      
   "Hi, what can I do for you tod…" Her smile fell and her words failed   
   her when the man in the chair turned around to face her.   
      
   "Well, if it isn't my favorite doctor. How are you today, Dana?"   
      
   She snapped her attention back to the man at the sound of her name.   
      
   "Mulder," she breathed.   
      
   "Dana," he mimicked.   
      
   "Wh… uh wha… what are you doing here?" she stuttered miserably, which   
   only caused him to smile more.   
      
   "I came to see how you are. I wanted to surprise you. I also wanted   
   to give my shoulder enough time to heal. Nice work, by the way."   
      
   "Uh, thank you. Why are you here?" She hadn't noticed but she'd   
   backed up as far away from him as she could, which incidentally put   
   her right up against the closed door. He chuckled at the sight.   
      
   "You never gave me an answer about going out with me so I figured I'd   
   come back and ask you again with an offer you couldn't refuse," he   
   revealed. He moved toward but he saw her tense up, causing his heart   
   to restrict.   
      
   "I'm not going to hurt you, Dana. Besides being a guy out to get your   
   heart, I'm also a guy that I hope you consider a friend."   
      
   She loosened up a little at that. "I know that and I do. It's just…   
   just…"   
      
   He stepped up to her, his hands finding their way to her arms. He was   
   glad he didn't feel her tense up. "Can I ask you a question? A   
   different question?"   
      
   She nodded her assent. "Don't you feel it?" he asked her. She stared   
   at him wide-eyed before she understood what he meant.   
      
   "I won't deny that I have feelings for you or that I'm attracted to   
   you," she started.   
      
   "But?" he filled, knowing what was coming.   
      
   "But I just need some time, I need to think about some things," she   
   unknowingly apologized. "Can we settle on just being friends for now?"   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)