From: xfstories@yahoo.com   
      
   Something More Than Words by Katie Phillips   
   October 2004   
      
   Disclaimer Info:  I've borrowed Mulder and Scully for a little while   
   and promise to return them unharmed.   
   Rating:  PG   
   Keywords:  MSR   
   Archive:  Sure, why not?  Make to let me know where.   
   Feedback:  Makes me happy.  My address is xfstories@yahoo.com.   
   Spoilers:  Assumed a good knowledge of the show, especially Season   
   Eight.   
   Summary:  Am I the only who thought the CC and Company left out a few   
   minor details surrounding how Mulder and Scully dealt with his   
   return.  This story tries to fill in some of the gaps.   
      
   Special thanks to sallie for another great beta job and for providing   
   me with the title for this story.   
      
   +++++   
   Mulder's Apartment   
   Shortly after his arrival home from the hospital   
      
   "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be cold or ungrateful. I just... have no   
   idea where I fit in right now.  I just, uh...I'm having a little   
   trouble...processing...everything."   Mulder looks up at Scully   
   barely shrugging.   
      
   Scully opens her mouth to say something then shuts it.  Nodding   
   slowly, she manages a weak "Get some rest," before turning and   
   walking out the door. Both are so wrapped up in their own thoughts   
   and emotions, that neither realizes that they didn't even   
   say 'goodbye.'   
      
   ++++   
      
   Six hours later   
   Scully's apartment   
      
   With great effort, Scully managed to pull herself up and out of the   
   tub.  Wrapped in her robe, she watched as the water slowly drained,   
   and realized that it might be quite some time before she could soak   
   in its warmth again. She knew that getting in the tub in the first   
   place probably wasn't the best of ideas, but she had needed to unwind   
   and reflect back on her afternoon with Mulder.   
      
   Scully understood, of course, that Mulder would need time to readjust   
   to his surroundings. After all, she once lost several months of her   
   life, just as Mulder had.  It had been difficult to return   
   to "normal" following her return, and she hadn't been pronounced   
   dead, and been buried in the ground for several months. She was mad   
   at herself, not him, for believing that they could take up right   
   where they had left off.   
      
   Things between the two of them had never been better than in the last   
   few weeks before Mulder's trip to Oregon.  Scully wondered now if   
   they could ever be that happy again.   
      
   "Well," Scully patted her belly as she addressed it.  "I suppose I   
   should fix us some dinner. I hope you don't mind a turkey sandwich; I   
   don't think I have it in me to cook a real dinner tonight."   
      
   Scully pulled on one of Mulder's old t-shirts and caught a glimpse of   
   her ever-growing abdomen in the mirror.  "God, no wonder he's in   
   shock.  I'm as big as a house."  She sighed and padded her way out to   
   the kitchen.  She had her head buried in the fridge looking for the   
   makings of dinner, when she heard a tentative knock on the door.   
      
   Scully  straightened with some difficulty, and slowly walked over to   
   the door. All the while, she tried to figure out how to send Monica   
   or John on their way as quickly as possible.  Both had taken up the   
   habit of 'stopping by' to check on her practically every night.   
   Scully pulled the door open without a thought, and gasped softly in   
   surprise.   
      
   Mulder stood before her, looking very uncomfortable.   
      
   "Hey Scully."  Mulder noticed the confused looked on her face.  "Did   
   I catch you at a bad time?"   
      
   Scully said nothing, merely shook her head and stepped aside as best   
   she could, to allow him to enter.   
      
   "I was making myself a sandwich, would you like one?"   
      
   "Sure, I guess.  I don't have much of an appetite yet, but my   
   doctor," he gave Scully a little smile and a nod "told me to make   
   sure I eat."   
      
   Scully gave him a small smile in response, and returned to her   
   sandwich making in the kitchen. As she attempted to reach the   
   mayonnaise sitting on the bottom shelf of the fridge, Mulder noticed   
   her struggling, and bent over next to her and grabbed the jar.   
      
      
   "Getting a little hard to move around?" He smiled, as he handed it to   
   her.   
      
   Scully sighed and took the jar.  "Thanks.  Yeah, my feet disappeared   
   last week."  She walked back over to the counter and began assembling   
   the sandwiches.  Mulder smiled when he noticed that she put a huge   
   dollop of mayo on his, just the way he liked it.  "What's that?"   
   Scully motioned to the small bag Mulder was holding in his hand.   
      
   "Oh this?"  Mulder suddenly sounded embarrassed.  "It's a little   
   something for the uber-Scully. To make up for me being such a jerk."   
      
   Scully stopped cutting the sandwiches and turned towards him.  She   
   eyed him suspiciously, remembering some of his previous gifts to   
   her.  With a raised eyebrow she took the bag and peeked inside, the   
   crease in her forehead deepening as she realized what it was.   
      
   "Oh Mulderrr, where on earth did you find a miniature Yankee   
   jersey?"  Pulling out the small shirt she held it up, and tossed the   
   bag onto the counter.  "You've been out of the hospital for less than   
   a day."   
      
   Mulder looked down at his shoes.  "Actually I bought it ages ago.   
   When you and I tried…"  He gulped.  "I guess I thought I'd be able to   
   give you a miracle."   
      
   Scully's eyes welled with tears, and she gently placed her palm on   
   Mulder's cheek.  "You did give me a miracle."   
      
   Mulder's eyes grew large and he brought his hand up to cover hers.   
   For a moment he simply stared at Scully's belly, his face filled with   
   awe.  "You mean the baby…"  Unable to finish he waved his hand in the   
   general direction of Scully's abdomen.  "But how?"   
      
   Scully smile was an indulgent one.  "As far I can tell, the old-   
   fashioned way."   
      
   "When?"   
      
   Scully closed her eyes as if to remember the exact moment.   
      
   +++++   
   Sometime in the weeks prior to Mulder's abduction   
   Scully's apartment   
      
   Scully poured herself a glass of wine, her third, and began to think   
   again about how to fix the mess she had created with Mulder.  Part of   
   her knew from the beginning that running off with Spender had been a   
   mistake, but another part of her felt like this was a chance she had   
   to take.  What Cancer Man had offered, if what he'd said had been   
   true, it was worth the risk.  If indeed he could give her the cure   
   for every disease, who wouldn't be tempted?  In wanting to believe   
   him, Scully had acted more like Mulder than herself.  Knowing that   
   Mulder would be worried, angry, hadn't stopped her.   
      
   Almost from the beginning she and Mulder had bickered over details of   
   various cases, over theories as to how things happened, often   
   annoying each other to distraction.  Not once during all those   
   battles had Scully doubted Mulder's devotion to her as a partner and   
   a friend.  This time it was different.   
      
   Mulder could barely stand to be in the room with her, and refused to   
   look at her unless absolutely necessary.  Even when they went   
   together to check out Spender's office, Mulder had spoken only a few   
   words.   
      
   Scully knew the next move was hers, if there was ever to be any   
   reconciliation and return to their previous level of trust.  She   
   didn't know if she had it in her, though, to go to Mulder and beg for   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)