From: eblair@sonic.net   
      
   ITLE: The Library   
   AUTHOR: Erin M. Blair   
   E-MAIL: eblair@sonic.net   
   CLASSIFICATION/CATEGORY: SRA---Story, Romance, Angst.   
   CONTENT: Mulder/Scully UST   
   RATING: PG   
   DISTRIBUTION/ARCHIVE STATEMENT: OK to   
   Gossamer, Ephemeral, After the Fact, etc.   
   AWARD ELIGIBILITY: Spookys 2004   
   SPOILERS: Conduit. However, there's a spoiler from The End.   
   SETTING: Season One   
   DATE: This story was started on March 10, 2004. Written   
   and revised on May 23, 2004. Final draft on July 7, 2004.   
   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Jen for beta reading this   
   for me.   
   DISCLAIMER: Mulder and Scully belongs to Chris Carter.   
   SUMMARY: Scully finds Mulder in the library. She discovers   
   so much more.   
      
   * Written originally for Haven's Mix and Match Challenge; but   
   dedicated for Tali's birthday. *   
   ------------------------------------   
   The Library   
   Written by: Erin M. Blair   
   ------------------------------------   
      
   After the harrowing case, the emotions surrounding   
   Ruby's abduction touched me in a way that I never   
   thought possible. From observing Mulder throughout   
   the entire case, I could see how closely he identified   
   with the young boy. I knew Mulder was thinking that   
   the boy could be him when he was younger, watching   
   his sister being abducted. The emotions stemming   
   from Samantha's abduction have plagued him to this   
   day.   
      
   It was about nine in the morning when I went to the   
   library to see if I could find the new book that I   
   wanted. I always enjoyed reading when I was a little   
   girl. The library always made me feel like a kid again,   
   nurtured my imagination, led by a seductive grin on   
   my face.   
      
   As I roamed the aisles to look for the book that   
   I wanted, I thought of this gentle, peaceful feeling that   
   overwhelmed me. I searched for the new Stephen King   
   book that I wanted to read for the weekend, to no avail. I   
   went down each aisle, feeling like I was working on an X-File   
   case with Mulder. I keep coming up empty as I went down   
   aisle by aisle.  It almost felt like I was on some kind of   
   goose chase as I kept searching for the book. I   
   was browsing the fiction books when I saw Mulder sitting   
   at a table. He was hunched over in a chair, using his   
   calculator and looking over at some sheets of paper that   
   I assumed were math calculations. He was fingering the   
   smooth buttons with a careful hand. I wondered what   
   possessed him to come to the library that morning.  I   
   walked over and I leaned over to greet him. My voice   
   was low enough for only him to hear me. "Mulder? What   
   are you doing here on a Saturday morning?"   
      
   Mulder turned around to face me. He spoke in a hushed tone   
   because the other people around us needed their   
   quiet. "One of my neighbors thought it would be great to put his   
   music up so loud that I couldn't concentrate on my finances."   
      
   "So you came here?"   
      
   Mulder nodded.   
      
   "I had no idea you were the library type, Mulder. You surprise   
   me."   
      
   Mulder mouthed the word "type" to me.  "Scully, I have a type?   
   That surprises me. I do come into the library from time to time,   
   especially with the escalating prices of books these days."   
      
   "I didn't know, Mulder. I'm sorry. The more I think I've figured   
   you out...the more times you keep me guessing."   
      
   He gave me a wry smile. "I'll always keep you guessing,   
   Scully."   
      
   A lighthearted smile played on my lips. "I know you will."   
      
   "Really?"   
      
   I nodded. "Wouldn't you like to know?"   
      
   "Scully, there's room at the table for you. Why don't you sit   
   down?"  He pointed to the chair next to him. "You must be   
   tired."   
      
   I pulled out the chair next to him and carefully sat down. I   
   didn't want to disturb his papers. "I'm surprised   
   you're doing this here."   
      
   "I understand. It's not the best place to do financial paperwork,   
   but I must if I want to escape from the noise.  I have to replace my   
   lamps because I broke them. I felt so paranoid, so hurt that...I had   
   to do something.  Plus -- do you know how annoying it is to use   
   my check to replace my furniture? I hope it's not going   
   to be an annual thing."   
      
   "Mulder, I doubt that's going to be an annual thing."   
      
   "I hope it's not going to reoccur anytime soon, Scully."   
      
   "Do you always replace furniture?"   
      
   "Not always. When I first joined the X-Files, my partner   
   and I found our hotel rooms trashed. Then yet another time,   
   her apartment was trashed. The vandalism affected her   
   so much that I couldn't persuade her to stay."   
      
   "Her?"   
      
   "Diana Fowley. She was smart, but she kept on agreeing with   
   everything I said. Later on, I realized that something else was on   
   her mind. I never found out what it could be. The next thing I   
   knew -- she was headed for Europe." He paused and then his   
   eyes gazed into mine. "I think you're going to last a long time   
   on the X-Files with me."   
      
   I didn't know how to react -- this was the second time Mulder   
   had revealed a bit more about his past. I was touched by his words --   
   they meant that he trusted me. "Should I take that as a compliment?"   
      
   Mulder gave me the brightest smile yet. His smile could have   
   energized masses of people. "You should."   
      
   "I hope you meant the words you just told me," I said to him.   
      
   He looked at me with those now-serious eyes. "I meant   
   every word I said."   
      
   I looked at my watch. "Are you almost done? I thought   
   we could...eat lunch together."   
      
   "I'm almost done, Scully. What brought you here to the library?"   
      
   "I wanted to find the latest Stephen King book. I couldn't find   
   it. All copies seem to be in use, according to the library   
   catalog."   
      
   "You could always place a hold on the book."   
      
   "I'll do that."   
      
   "If that fails, you can try an inter-library loan."   
      
   "Thanks, Mulder. You certainly have knowledge about   
   library information. Were you a librarian in a former life?"   
      
   "Well, I have always been a lover of libraries, Scully. I have   
   always loved the calmness. I come here when   
   time allows so I can do some thinking."   
      
   "I have this thing for the beauty of architecture. They   
   recently painted a beautiful mural in the children's section -- "   
      
   "Oh, I saw it. It has the solar system on it."   
      
   "And it's beautifully painted."   
      
   "I love the child size tables and chairs. It makes me   
   feel like a kid coming here."   
      
   I nodded. "I feel the same way. It's so intricately   
   remodeled. It's much better than what it used to be." I   
   noticed Mulder was putting his calculator into   
   the pocket of his black trenchcoat. "You're finished?"   
      
   Mulder got up from his chair, and then I got up from mine.   
   He looked at me, smiling. "Let's do this again."   
      
   "I agree."   
      
   "I'm paying for lunch, Scully."   
      
   "I thought I was going to pay since I suggested it."   
      
   "I feel like treating you."   
      
   "Thanks, Mulder," I told him. I felt strange. It was as if   
   this day was finally turning out to be a good day after   
   all. Although I came here originally looking for the new   
   Stephen King book, my day wasn't dampened by   
   frustration I felt earlier when I was walking in the   
   aisles. If I didn't know better, I'd have bet I was supposed   
   to run into Mulder at the library today. It seemed like it   
   was fated, that I was supposed to be with him anyway.   
      
   I wished I could tell him, but I was scared to believe in that   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)