From: eblair@sonic.net   
      
   TITLE: Hearts Awakened   
   AUTHOR: Erin M. Blair   
   E-MAIL: eblair@sonic.net   
   FEEDBACK: Yes, please.   
   DISTRIBUTION: OK to Gossamer, Ephemeral, After the   
   Fact, Beyond 45:46, and MSR Fanfic Cheerleaders Archive.   
   Otherwise, please ask me first.   
   RATING: NC-17   
   CATEGORIES: SRA -- Story, Romance, Angst.   
   KEYWORDS: Mulder/Scully Romance. Alternate Universe.   
   SPOILERS: Blood.   
   DISCLAIMER: Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter.   
   SUMMARY: Can Scully help Mulder overcome his   
   worries about being overtaken by fear? Post episode   
   for "Blood."   
   NOTES: I would like to thank Jen for beta reading this   
   story. And I would also like to thank Catherine Earnshaw   
   for supporting and cheering me on. This story is dedicated   
   to both of them.   
      
   ~~ This story was written especially for Fandomonium's   
   Season Two Smut Challenge. ~~   
      
   + + + + + + + + + + + + + +   
   Hearts Awakened   
   by Erin M. Blair   
   + + + + + + + + + + + + + +   
      
   Mulder saw the droplets of blood on the sleeve of his shirt   
   as he sat down on the steps at Franklin Community College.   
   He was dialing Scully's cell number when a message appeared   
   on his phone. He stared at the message, "All done. Bye-   
   bye," and then it suddenly reverted to Scully's number. He   
   could hear Scully's voice bordering on concern when she   
   called out his name. He answered, mumbling her name.   
   "Scully, I...had something strange just happen now."   
      
   Meanwhile, Scully was standing near the ambulance entrance   
   at Franklin Community Hospital, holding her cell phone in   
   her hand. She had listened intently to what Mulder said and   
   she was now worried for him. "Mulder, are you all right?"   
      
   "I'm not...sure. When I was calling you, my cell phone did   
   an odd thing. It gave me an alpha readout; it said, 'all   
   done. Bye-bye.' At first, I thought I was seeing   
   things...but now, I --"   
      
   "Do you want me to come over?" she asked, her voice riddled   
   with concern for her partner. She paused as the ambulance   
   stopped and the paramedics got out. She watched them unload   
   Edward Funsch and take him into the emergency room.   
   "Mulder, Mr. Funsch just arrived."   
      
   "Can you examine him?"   
      
   "Of course, Mulder. Then we need to talk."   
      
   "I'll meet you at your motel room, Scully, then we'll   
   talk."   
      
   She looked at her watch and then sighed. "Mulder, that's   
   not a good idea. I think it might be better if I go to your   
   motel room instead. It'll probably take a few hours. I'll   
   call you when I'm finished."   
      
   "I will see you then, Scully."   
      
   "All right, Mulder."   
      
   Mulder heard a click after Scully turned off her cell. He   
   frowned. He stared again at the phone in his hand. It took   
   everything Mulder had to remain in control and fight the   
   shock that was hindering him. He tried hard to clear his   
   mind, but he couldn't. He closed his eyes, remembering when   
   he was sprayed with the chemical, LSDM, which left a fear-   
   like response and caused subliminal messages.   
      
   He gathered his strength and told himself that he was going   
   to be all right. That was enough to keep him sane.   
      
   For the moment.   
      
   * * *   
      
   Mulder was sprawled out on his bed when he saw the doorknob   
   turn and sighed with relief when he saw Scully standing   
   there. Shock was settling in his brain. He was agitated.   
   The case brought back some unpleasant memories of his   
   exposure to the spray in 1989. "Scully, what did you find?"   
      
   "Mulder, are you OK?"   
      
   He nodded. "I think so. It's just this case, Scully. Did   
   you examine Funsch?"   
      
   She sat down beside him on the bed. "Yes, I did. He is   
   severely agitated. It took awhile for me to conduct an exam   
   because he doesn't like doctors." She paused, looking   
   squarely at him. "I've never seen that much fear in one   
   person."   
      
   Mulder looked at Scully with a serious expression on his   
   face. "Never?" He paused briefly and then continued: "Not   
   even...me?"   
      
   "Mulder, I've examined you myself. You don't possibly think   
   you're going to be the next Edward Funsch, do you?"   
      
   "That begs the question, doesn't it?" He drew a deep   
   breath. He wanted to let her know what he had experienced   
   that night in 1989 and then he saw the concern in her eyes.   
   He sighed as he decided to tell her about his fears. "It   
   happened before, Scully."   
      
   Scully looked at him directly in the eyes and then she drew   
   a deep breath herself. "I have examined you, Mulder.   
   Although you were sprayed with the chemical, you don't seem   
   to suffer the effects as the others like Edward Funsch. You   
   don't show any signs of paranoia..."   
      
   "But, Scully, this isn't the first time I've been sprayed   
   by a chemical."   
      
   "It's not?"   
      
   Mulder shook his head and looked into Scully's blue eyes.   
   He was touched by her compassion for him. "Back in 1989, I   
   was working on a case searching for this woman, Susanne   
   Modeski, for the Violent Crimes Unit. In the process, I was   
   sprayed by this chemical...I don't remember what it even   
   was...but it caused some hallucinogenic reactions. I saw   
   these shadowy figures...and it made me think of things in a   
   whole new light."   
      
   "And you think you're going to hallucinate?" Scully asked.   
      
   Mulder nodded. "It's not that far fetched, Scully."   
      
   "Do you still see subliminal messages, Mulder?"   
      
   "You mean...since this afternoon?"   
      
   Scully nodded. "Yes, that's what I mean."   
      
   "Not since this afternoon, Scully."   
      
   "I can assure you that you're not going to suffer from a   
   severe agitated fear response like Edward Funsch. They were   
   sprayed severely over a long period of time, Mulder. You   
   were only dosed once," Scully said. Her voice was laced   
   with worry. "You're going to be all right. I know you   
   will."   
      
   They had nothing to worry about now - the case was over and   
   all he had to do was to file a case report with Skinner.   
   Although he was concerned about the effects of LSDM, he   
   felt relieved that he had no cause to worry. He wanted to   
   be with Scully. "I hope you're right, Scully. It's just   
   that I remember how it was like."   
      
   "Mulder?"   
      
   "It's just that I fear that I'm going to lose myself. I   
   can't let that happen."   
      
   "You have nothing to fear. I hope you'll believe me."   
      
   "I do believe you, Scully. It's just that..."   
      
   "Mulder, what I have to reveal to you is hard for me. I   
   want you to know how much I care for you. I care so much   
   about you. I miss seeing you every day."   
      
   "I miss you too, Scully."   
      
   She nodded. "I miss us."   
      
   "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"   
      
   Scully nodded. "I want us to be together. I don't care what   
   the ramifications will be."   
      
   Mulder drew a deep sigh of relief. He looked into Scully's   
   hopeful blue eyes and saw the compassion within her soul.   
   God, he was so mesmerized by her beauty. He was weakening   
   and he knew it. He pulled her close to him and he felt the   
   smooth satin of her body wrapped around him for an embrace.   
   He ran his hands through her thick, lustrous red hair. He   
   brushed her bangs away from her face and smiled at her.   
   "You don't know how much I've dreamed about this moment,   
   Scully."   
      
   "This isn't a hallucination, Mulder. You're all right to   
   me," Scully murmured as she tiptoed up to him so she could   
   gently brush his lips with a kiss. "This feels right."   
      
   "I don't want you to do something that you're going to   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)