From: rjsabatier@shaw.ca   
      
   Rating:  See chapter one   
      
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   Scully turned on the radio and kept the volume low so not to disturb Mulder.   
   Tammy Wynette's song "Stand By Your Man" came on. She couldn't keep the   
   tears from her eyes as she looked over at Mulder's sleeping form. She knew   
   she was doing the right thing. Sure, she missed her family, especially her   
   mother, but there was no way she could have stood by and watched the man she   
   loved die. Scully's hands tightened on the steering wheel.   
      
   Mulder woke a few hours later. He sat up fast. "Where are we?"   
      
   "Just crossed the border into North Dakota," Scully said softly. She hoped   
   she sounded normal.   
      
   Mulder stretched and looked over the land. "You let me sleep for four   
   hours?"   
      
   "You needed it."   
      
   Mulder brushed some hair behind her ear. "I guess there hasn't been any   
   trouble?" He liked her long hair.   
      
   "Well..Unless you wanna call a squirrel in the road trouble." She bit her   
   lip against a shiver.   
      
   He smiled and chuckled. "Nah..Not quite big enough."   
      
   Scully fell silent for a moment as she began to wonder all over again if   
   Mulder was ready to take the next step with her...then she reprimanded   
   herself. He'd been through enough...he needed time to digest everything.   
      
   Mulder looked her over. "What's on your mind, Danes?"   
      
   She forced herself to concentrate on their surroundings and where they were   
   going. "I was just wondering where this place was you were talking about."   
      
   Mulder thought a moment. "It's probably another two hours. Pull over. I can   
   drive from here."   
      
   "Okay." Scully conceded she was a little tired. Not to mention a little   
   hungry and thirsty.   
      
   Mulder watched her pull into a McDonald's. "You must've read my mind."   
      
   Scully had to give in to her need to pull Mulder close to her. She closed   
   her eyes for a moment before taking his hand and walking in with him.   
      
   "I don't know about you, but I want a Big Mac.." she told him.   
      
   Scully's eyes kept looking around the restaurant, making sure they weren't   
   in danger even as she ordered for the both of them.   
      
   "What did you wanna get, Mulder?" she asked him as the girl behind the   
   counter began to ring in their order.   
      
   "I'll have a double quarter pounder...no pickles, fries, and a Coke." He   
   slid his arm around her waist and drew her near.   
      
   "What the hey...I'll have a regular Coke too." Scully smiled in sheer   
   contentment at being near Mulder. Then her stomach rumbled. He smiled down   
   at her. "You should've stopped hours ago, Katherine."   
      
   Scully looked momentarily confused at the use of her middle name. Then her   
   face relaxed into a smile. "Yeah well. I knew this stop was coming up." She   
   smiled at the girl behind the counter. The girl only rolled her eyes and   
   went to get Mulder's fries.   
      
   He kissed her forehead. "Nature calls. I'll be back in a few. Keep your eyes   
   peeled."   
      
   Scully watched his retreating back as she whispered to herself, "Don't   
   worry...they'll have to take me out first." She sighed and massaged a kink   
   in her neck.   
      
   When he came out a few minutes later, she was standing near the door with   
   their bag. He moved closer. "You go to the restroom. I'll wait for you."   
      
   Scully nodded and moved in the direction of the ladies' room. She took deep   
   breaths as she came out a few minutes later. She washed her hands and   
   splashed water on her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror,   
   running her hand through her hair. 'If things get really hot...I'm changing   
   my hair...' she decided. She checked her gun at her side before she joined   
   Mulder in the parking lot. Her eyes remained alert as she got into the   
   passenger side again.   
      
   He looked over at her. "Want to tell me what's on your mind?" He pulled them   
   back onto the road.   
      
   "Right now? Food.." Scully reached into the takeout bag for her burger.   
      
   He chuckled softly. "Okay.." He gave her a grin.   
      
   "Hard to make plans on an empty stomach, don't you think?" Scully managed a   
   grin over at him as she wiped at the dribble of mayonnaise on her lip.   
      
   Mulder also had dribbled. Her elbow shivered as she gently dabbed at the   
   corner of his mouth. He grinned wider. "Thanks, babe." He kissed her mouth   
   gently when she moved close enough.   
      
   "Can't take you anywhere..." she gently teased.   
      
   "That's a bad thing?" Mulder kept his eyes on the road. He needed to find   
   Hwy 22X.   
      
      
      
      
   "Nah.. On the contrary it's an endearing thing."   
      
      
      
      
      
   Scully fell silent for a moment as she took out the map and studied their   
   surroundings.   
      
   "It should be right up here...somewhere." He took another bite of his   
   burger.   
      
   "There's the sign right there." She pointed at the turnoff that was coming   
   up.   
      
   Mulder nodded. "Here.." He pulled onto the new highway. "About two hours   
   now."   
      
   "It'll be nice to have a long hot bath," Scully admitted.   
      
   "We can lay low here for a few days. No one will bother us. Langley actually   
   told me about this place..." He smiled at the memory.   
      
   The mention of the Gunmen made Scully sad all over again, She took Mulder's   
   hand as she looked out the window. She remembered the last advice that   
   Frohike had ever given her. "You've had his heart from the first day he met   
   you...now prove to him he has yours."   
      
   "Penny for your thoughts?" Mulder gently coaxed.   
      
   "I miss them," Scully said softly. "They...when you were gone...they really   
   supported me." A smiled touched her lips. "Frohike especially was really   
   sweet...bringing me fresh flowers." She stopped. "Did...did I ever tell you   
   when he came to see me? You were missing in New Mexico yet. He just...showed   
   up at my door."   
      
   Mulder shook his head. "You didn't tell me."   
      
   "I was the first person he went to when he heard you were gone." Scully   
   shook her head a little. "I mean, I knew all along he had a crush on me,   
   but.." she felt like she was babbling now. She looked down at Mulder's hand   
   in hers and then back up at him, taking a chance. "But he knew even before I   
   did that I was in love with you."   
      
   "Frohike.." Mulder's voice broke. "They were all my best...friends before   
   you, Dana..." He swallowed hard. "He knew I loved you that's why he...never   
   really made a move."   
      
      
      
      
      
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Rating:  See chapter one
   
   
   
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   Scully turned on the radio and kept the volume low so not to disturb   
   Mulder.
   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)