Well, I'm back from hiding out in Quebec City and I brought a new
story with me! Wasn't that nice of me? Much better than a tİshirt,
IMO. =)  This story came to me when I was bored out of my mind with
nothing to do at work. I consider this to be the followİup to
"Happy Birthday?", but don't worry, if you didn't read that, it's
no big deal, I'll just be slightly insulted. ;)


You all know the drill by now. The characters of Mulder and Scully
do not in any way belong to me. I only wish. I don't mean to
infringe on any one's (read CC's or FBC's) copyrights, I just like
these characters so much that I want to write about them, for FREE.
Any other characters though belong to me.


People can pass this around, just make sure my name is attached to
it. All praise is quite welcome, pointless flames (Are there any
other kinds?) will be duly ignored, or else mused over for a little
while until I delete them from my mail file.


Oh yeah, I don't know much about Shawnee, Colorado, so don't
pounce on me for inaccuracies.


On to the show (so to speak)...


                   Unspoken Needs: Part One

                      by Siobhan Gormley



5:34 pm

April 14, 1996

Shawnee, Colorado


Lisa Highborn tossed her apron onto the kitchen counter having
finally finished making what passed for a nutritious meal in
her household. It wasn't easy being a single working mom who
had to make sure that her kid ate properly. But she did it, she
wasn't sure how she did, but she did.


She walked over to the screen door to yell for her son to come
in for dinner. When she arrived at the door, she saw her son
running toward the house with his two best friends right behind
him. She hoped he wasn't going to ask if they could stay for
dinner, she only had made enough for the two of them.


The threesome reached the steps, panting heavily from an obvious
long run. *Must have been running from some older kids that lived
down the way* Lisa thought.


"What trouble have you gotten into now, Joseph?" she asked.


"Mom, you need to come quick! There's something you *have* to see!"
Joseph panted out. Lisa's face showed obvious disapproval.


"Joseph, you know I can't leave the dinner sitting out..."


"Ma! C'mon, before it leaves!" Joseph pleaded. Lisa sighed,
giving in. She knew that she was giving in too easily, but
if it would get her son in for dinner, then she would go see
what was so important to look at.


"Okay, but this better be good." Joseph took her hand in his and
proceeded to run toward the forest behind their house, his two
friends, Mark and Chris, right behind.


A few minutes later, he stopped suddenly, making his mother bump
into him because of the momentum she had. He didn't say a word, he
just pointed in a particular direction. Lisa turned to look at
where he was pointing. She almost didn't believe her eyes.


"Oh my lord," she stated, surprise evident in her tone.


**********

1:15 pm
April 15, 1996
FBI headquarters
X-Files office


'Boredom ensues in the life of a simple government employee...'


"I wouldn't use that word Scully."


Special Agent Dana Scully jumped slightly at the sound of her
trying partner's voice. She looked up from her notepad to see
Mulder leaning against her desk, arms folded across his chest,
smirking slightly.


"And what word would that be?"


"Well actually, there are two words in there I wouldn't use, but
one would only be changed if it was referring to you..." He trailed
off as she gave him her patented Scully look. When he didn't get
the hint to get lost, she got up from her chair, walked over to her
briefcase and put her notepad in it.  "I never figured you to be
one for writing stories Scully."


"Only when I have nothing much to do, like the past few days."


"Are you trying to give me a hint?" Scully let out an exasperated
sigh, walking out to the coffee machine to satisfy her sudden need
for caffeine. When she came back into the office, Mulder was still
at her desk.


"Okay Mulder, what is it? You were so bored you decided it was time
to test my patience with you again?" Mulder's expression changed
from mildly amused to that infamous whipped puppy look that made
many a woman cave into his requests. It didn't seem to be working
on Scully.


"Boy, if you despised my presence so much..." He walked away from
her, making her finally feel guilty for snapping at him.


"Mulder, wait." He stopped, not turning around. "I'm sorry, I
shouldn't have snapped at you. I just don't like having nothing
to do. We haven't had a new case in over a week, and paperwork
has its limits. I get...irritable with nothing to do." Mulder
turned to look at her. He was smiling again.


"You want something to do?" Scully thought for a moment before
answering. She wasn't sure what he was getting at, and she wanted
to be sure she didn't say anything that he would easily
misconstrue.


"Yes, I would like something to do." She watched his expression,
waiting to see if there was any sign of mischievousness. There
seemed to be none.


"Well, how about a case to work on?" With a dramatic flair, Mulder
whipped up a file folder from his side that Scully hadn't seen
before. He opened it up, carefully arranging all the papers inside.


*I would not be surprised if he was in every school play* Scully
thought, a small smile appearing on her face as she watched him
prepare for his recitation. He began.


"There are three kids in Shawnee, Colorado who claim to have
encountered a unicorn." Scully's left eyebrow raised in disbelief.
"I know what you're thinking, three kids with overactive
imaginations, right?" Scully nodded in agreement. "Well, one of
the kids' mothers claims to have seen it also."


"So I guess we're going to the lovely state of Colorado?" Mulder
simply grinned as an answer.


***

10:23 pm
On the road to Shawnee


Scully rubbed her tired eyes, looking away from the file and to the
countryside passing by outside, or at least what she could see at
this time of night. She contemplated many things, one of them being
that she was starting to regret having gotten these contacts, they
were becoming more of a bother than a help. Her mind wandered to
other thoughts as they passed by a house, outside of which a
sensible family vehicle sat. She let out a deep sigh, catching
Mulder's attention. He glanced her way, seeing her tired, almost
wistful, expression.


"You know, you don't have to stay awake for my sake. I'm quite used
to not getting any sleep, so you don't have to worry about me
nodding off at the wheel." Scully smiled at him.


"That's okay. It's not that I'm tired, I've just got some things on
my mind."


"Like what?"


"You really want to know?" Mulder nodded his assent. She seemed to
think for a moment before she continued, almost as if she was
trying to decide what to tell him. "Well, I've always wondered why
we're classified as 'special' agents. I mean, what do we do that's
so special that the average agent doesn't do?" Mulder couldn't help
but laugh at her questions. They were almost up there with his
'Where does belly button lint come from?'-type questions.


"You really were thinking about that just now?"


"Yeah! I mean, does the special status just give us more rope to
hang ourselves with, so to speak?" Mulder merely chuckled in
response. Scully let out another sigh, this time a little more
contented than the previous one.


They drove in silence for a while longer until Scully suddenly let
out a little yelp of surprise, causing Mulder's attention to wander
momentarily, nearly sending them off the road. Mulder's attention
returned to the road, but he kept glancing at the now mildly
agitated Scully.


"What's wrong Scully?" he asked, concerned. She took a moment
before she answered.


"It's okay, I just thought I saw something."


"It had to be quite a something to get that reaction out of you."


"Yeah, well, it's nothing to worry about now. Whatever I thought
I saw is gone." Mulder took her tone to mean that the discussion
was closed, whether he liked it or not.


**********

9:10 am
April 16, 1996
Highborn residence


Lisa Highborn sat placidly at her kitchen table as she talked to
the two FBI agents who had come to visit. They were an interesting
pair, she thought. They almost seemed like they had a yin and yang
thing going on, or at least that's what she thought from what all
those women's magazines had to say. The woman agent seemed cool and
analytical toward what Lisa had to say, while her male partner
seemed 'all-a-fire' with a voracious need to digest any and all
information she had.


"So, Ms. Highborn..."


"Lisa."


"Of course, Lisa," Scully paused, looking slightly uncomfortable at
using the woman's first name. Mulder looked at her oddly, but he
supposed she would say it wasn't keeping 'professional distance' by
using the woman's first name. She continued. "You claim that this
'unicorn' spoke to you?" The incredulity in Scully's voice was
very obvious.


"Well, not really 'spoke' as in with its mouth, but I heard
something being said, and no one there was talking."


"What exactly did you hear?" Mulder asked, jumping in before
Scully had the chance to ask.


"The unicorn told me that I would need to go a different route
if I wanted to find happiness."


"And do you have any idea what was meant by this statement?" Scully
queried. Lisa shook her head.


"I'm not sure what it meant, but I suppose I'll figure it out
sooner or later." Scully nodded noncommitally.


"I think that's all the questions we have for now. You'll be
around town if we have any more questions?"


"Of course, Agent Scully. Anytime you need me, I'll be available."
Scully and Mulder shook her hand goodbye and walked out the front
door.


Neither of them said anything until they were in the car.


"So, is it just me or does she seem to be a little..." Scully
trailed off, making a hand motion at her head as if to suggest
craziness.


"Oh come on, Scully! Be a little charitable! Sure, telepathic
unicorns may seem a bit loony to you, but maybe it was just
something she was telling herself mentally and she attributed it
to the unicorn." Scully looked at Mulder with amazement.


"You mean you still actually believe she saw this 'unicorn'?"


"Never disallow anything until you've got incontrovertible
evidence against it, that's my motto."


"And here I thought it was 'Live long and prosper'," Scully
commented, a sly grin on her face.


"Ha, ha. Just you wait Scully. One of these days I'm going to
prove you *so* wrong."


"That'll be the day."


***

12:15 pm
Shawnee Public School


Scully and Mulder walked out the front doors of the school, having
just finished talking with the three children. The stories they
told were a little more detailed than what Lisa Highborn had said,
but not immensely different.


"So, do you still not believe they saw this unicorn?" Mulder asked.
Scully took a moment before answering.


"I'm not going to say that I believe or disbelieve their stories.
Although..."


"Here it comes," Mulder muttered, making sure Scully heard it. She
pretended to ignore his snide comment.


"*Although*," she repeated, this time with emphasis, "their stories
seem a little too perfect."


"Do you mean to say you think three kids concocted this story with
one of the kids' mothers? To what end?"


"Some people think they can get themselves on the news, leading to
getting attention from Hollywood to tell their 'wondrous' story and
making a T.V. movie of the week with Valerie Bertinelli in the lead
role." Mulder couldn't help but grin widely at Scully's commentary.


"You know Scully, I never figured you to be a hardened cynic
underneath. I mean, I knew that you had a good dose of skepticism,
but such cynicism." He tut-tutted as he opened the doors, then
slipped into the driver's seat. Scully slipped into the passenger's
seat, then looked at Mulder with slight exasperation. She just
shook her head in defeat when she saw his almost gleeful
expression. There was no point in trying to argue with him when
he was in such a mood, and especially since she wasn't feeling
up to one of their infamous arguments right now.


They stopped at a local diner for a late lunch, Scully eating her
'rabbit food' as Mulder liked to call it and Mulder his
'cholesterol-filled-artery-hardening food' as Scully liked to call
it. Scully still marvelled at how Mulder could wolf down the stuff
he ate without a second thought, even that congealed-looking gravy.
True, she had at one time done the same, but that had been when she
was much younger and the calories and whatnot burned off faster.
After a few years she suddenly saw that those things were no longer
burning off as fast and that was when she made the decision to eat
more health consciously. Sure, the food wasn't as fun to eat as
what Mulder was eating at the moment, but eating wasn't about
having fun, or so that's how she rationalized it to herself.
Mulder caught her staring at him. He smiled with a tinge of
embarrassment.


"Something on my face?"


"No."


"Then do you want some of this, I'm never going to be able to eat
all of it."  She shook her head, wrinkling her nose a bit in
distaste.


"No thanks."


"Then what may I do for you? You've been so quiet, so unlike you."
Scully caught the hint of teasing in his voice. A playful smile
crept across his face, causing her to respond in kind. Sometimes
he just got the better of her. Sometimes she wondered...NO. She
was not going to let her mind wander in *that* direction. She
began to blush, feeling almost like Mulder could read her thoughts.
By the look in his eyes, it would make any woman think that.
Fortunately for Scully, the waitress appeared at their table,
having noticed their prolonged silence.


"Is everything alright?" Mulder looked away from Scully, and smiled
congenially at the waitress.


"Yes, of course. I was wondering, could you put the rest of this
in a doggy bag? I can't possibly eat another bite." The waitress
nodded affirmatively, taking his and Scully's half-empty plates
away. Mulder returned his attention to Scully, who had now begun
searching through her briefcase for some phantom item. He shrugged,
deciding that if she wanted to talk, she knew he was there whenever
she needed him.



8:20 pm
April 16, 1996
Pike National Forest, near Highborn residence


"Remind me why we're out here?" Scully asked, causing Mulder
to jump a little. She had been so quiet for the last little
while since their interrupted conversation in the diner that
he was surprised to hear the sound of her voice.


"We're hoping to find evidence of this unicorn."


"Evidence," she repeated, an almost snort coming from her as she
said it. Mulder looked at her, wondering what was up, but she was
busy looking around some trees.


"Scully?" he called to her. She came around the tree she had been
looking behind to join Mulder.


"What is it, you find something?" He shook his head.


"What's up with you? You've been acting kinda strange lately."


"Define 'strange' Mulder."


"You've been overly negative, as well as being extremely quiet."


"If you think that's strange, I could certainly think of worse
things," Scully replied, a tinge of annoyance evident in her tone
and on her face. She turned away and walked off further into the
forest. Mulder sighed heavily, then followed her.


After a few minutes, he came across her kicking some good size
rocks out of her way.


"You know, there's a *much* simpler, and less painful, way to
express your feelings Scully." She stopped what she was doing
and stared at him, a look of almost surprise at seeing him on her
face.


"Is that the shrink in you talking or the work partner?"


"Neither. It's your friend." He paused and let that sink in for
a moment before he continued. "Scully, I know we normally don't
talk about our thoughts or feelings..." She tried not to laugh
at his comment, and wasn't doing a good job of hiding it. "Scully,
don't you take our friendship seriously?" She got a serious look
on her face immediately.


"Of course I do, but I just can't help but find it amusing that
you suddenly find it necessary for us to talk about our feelings.
You know as well as I do that we both have a hard enough time
keeping them in check, let alone telling the other about them..."


"And that's *exactly* why we should talk. I can't stand by and
watch you be in pain when I feel like I could do something to
help. I've allowed that to happen for too long. Please don't shut me
out Dana." Scully seemed a little taken aback at hearing him use her first
name, such an oddity that it was to her. She found herself becoming
uncomfortable as he continued to look intently at her.


"Look Mulder, I don't know what has set you off on this sudden need
to express yourself emotionally, but I can handle things myself. I
always have, and I always will. You know that I don't want to talk
about this, and if you push it, you'll just push me away." She
looked at him straight in the eye once she finished, finally
feeling her composure returning. She saw in his eyes a look of
hurt and rejection. She almost reconsidered and told him anyway,
but he turned away from her and headed back towards the car.


**********

9:15 am
April 18, 1996
Shawnee Motel


Mulder gave his government credit card to the clerk behind the
desk, then waited patiently while the computer checked it out.
They hadn't found anything in the last two days to support the
claims of Lisa Highborn, her son, and his friends, so they had
agreed that it was time to return to Washington. Mulder sighed.
He was sure Skinner would just *love* the fact that they were
coming back with another unsolved case. He would rail against
them saying that he didn't know why the FBI wasted money on
their exploits, but not long after Skinner would be giving them
another case to 'prove themselves', as he liked to say. It had
almost become like a running joke with the three of them, all
of them knowing the routine before it even began. They all
knew deep down it was all for show, but it was necessary for
them all to play the parts if they wanted to stay in the game.


Mulder turned around and leaned against the front desk, looking out
the front window. He watched as Scully put her overnight bags
into the trunk. The two of them had not spoken about anything
but the case since that discussion in the woods two nights ago.
It bothered Mulder that he wasn't able to even joke around with
Scully now, but he really didn't have anyone to blame but himself
for the sudden chill in their relationship. He just didn't know
when to lay off, he thought. He should know better by now.


"Sir, if you could sign this?" the clerk asked, taking Mulder out
of his contemplation. He turned back around to sign the paper.


***


Scully sat in the car, feeling slightly desolate. She hated the
fact that she and Mulder had now taken several steps back not
only in their personal, but also in their professional
relationship. It almost felt like when they had first started
working together. She felt that she was to blame since she was
so closed up about her feelings and thoughts. After all, Mulder
just wanted to help, she thought.


Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the driver's side
door opening. She glanced over as Mulder's tall form folded into
the driver's seat. He looked at her, his pained eyes betraying the
relatively placid look on his face. The look in Scully's eyes
couldn't help but relay an apology to him as they gazed into each
other's eyes. His own expression changed, a mildly embarrassed look
coming across his face. The look in his eyes now made it seem like
he was apologizing also. Smiles spread across both their faces,
knowing that things had been patched up, but there was still much
to repair if they wanted to avoid drifting apart again.


Mulder went to start the car, but he stopped when he was startled
by the sound of something hitting his window. He turned to see
the son of Lisa Highborn, Joseph, standing there with his friends,
Chris and Mark. The three boys looked quite excited. Mulder rolled
down the window, but before he could ask anything, Joseph began to
talk.


"YouhavetocomenowPleasedon'tjustsittherestaring..." Joseph paused to get a
breath, but before he could say anything more, Mulder spoke.


"Slow down, Joseph. I can't understand what you're saying. Now,
start again, *slowly*."  Joseph breathed deeply.


"You have to come with us, it's back," he stated simply.


"What's back?" Scully asked, although she had a feeling she already knew
the answer.


"The unicorn," Mark responded. Mulder looked at Scully, who was
looking slightly incredulous, but she nodded acquiescingly.


"Okay, you guys get in the back, we'll drive there." The three kids
piled into the back seat and Mulder drove out of the motel parking
lot once they were all strapped in.


***

9:45 am
Pike National Forest, near Highborn residence


Mulder and Scully followed the three kids further into the forest
than they had gone two nights ago.


"Shouldn't you three be in school right now?" Scully asked,
suddenly realizing what time it was.


"Yeah, but this was more important," Joseph responded. Scully and
Mulder couldn't help but look at each other with a touch of
surprise at Joseph's statement.


They walked for a few more minutes, then they stopped in an open
clearing. Everyone looked around the clearing, but they saw
nothing. Scully and Mulder looked at the three kids, who just
shrugged their shoulders.


Five minutes later, nothing was happening, and the two agents
were beginning to get antsy. They looked at each other and seemed
to come to an agreement.


"Look you guys, maybe we should..."


"There you are!" Joseph suddenly exclaimed, looking past Mulder.
Mulder and Scully immediately turned around and were stunned to
see what looked like a unicorn, but it was hard to tell since the
sunlight suddenly seemed to pour into the clearing, making it
slightly difficult to see properly. The unicorn almost seemed part
of the light it was so white. It's horn, or what looked like a
horn, was multi-coloured and seemed to shimmer when the light hit
it. Scully went to say something, but before she could, she
suddenly felt a wave of unconsciousness fall over her. She fell to
the ground, and Mulder was not too far behind. Joseph and his
friends ran over to their sides to make sure they were alright.
Joseph then looked up at the unicorn from his position on the
ground.


"Why did you do that? They could have been hurt." The unicorn
looked almost apologetic at Joseph's rebuke. All three children
cocked their heads to the side, almost as if they were trying to
hear better out of one ear, but there was not a word spoken.


"Well, that's not a good enough reason. They would believe if
you gave them the chance. I know they would," Chris responded to
the unspoken statement of the unicorn. "Now be nice, they may
not believe entirely, but at least help them. They need the
healing." The unicorn seemed to nod in reluctant agreement to
Chris' request.


The three boys stepped away from the two unconscious agents as
the unicorn advanced, touching its horn to first Mulder, then
Scully. It then moved away, let out a whinny, then left the
clearing.


"We better get some help," Mark suggested, and the two others
agreed.


***

1:23 pm
Medical Clinic


"I'm fine, it's just a little bump is all," Mulder complained.
Scully couldn't help but grin at his complaints to the doctor. She
was so used to his attitude about getting patched up that she
always found it amusing to listen to him as he attempted to argue
with another doctor. "Scully, you tell him I'm okay," he pleaded.


"I'm sure he'll be alright, especially if he's able to complain
this loudly. After all, he's gotten himself beaten up enough
times that I'm surprised he doesn't have more bumps," she replied
cheekily. Mulder made a face at her, making her laugh. The doctor
looked at the two of them, wondering if maybe there wasn't
something a little wrong with them after all, but then he decided
that it was their way of dealing with the stress of their job.


"Okay, but you better not come back to me crying malpractice."
Scully slid off the table she was sitting on and walked to
Mulder's side.


"Don't worry, he'll be under my supervision," she reassured the
doctor as she took the slightly protesting Mulder by the arm and
headed out of the clinic.


The last thing the doctor heard was Mulder commenting slyly, "You
know, being under your supervision could have interesting
possibilities." Fortunately for Scully, he missed the smack upside
the head she gave Mulder.


**********

8:35 am
April 22, 1996
FBI headquarters
X-Files office


"You'll see green alligators, and long-neck geese; some humpty-
back camels and some chimpanzees; some rats and cats and elephants,
but sure as you're born, you'll never see no unicorn..."


Scully sat down at her desk, stopping her singing. She opened
up the case report to make sure there were no mistakes.


'X-File #X-57690b: The sighting of a unicorn by Joseph and Lisa
 Highborn, Christopher David, and Mark Leonard was unsubstatiated
 in that no clear evidence was found to indicate the existence
 of said creature. Agent Mulder and myself did see something on the
 morning of April 18, 1996, but it is difficult for either of us to
 say with any certainty that it was a unicorn since we had some
 difficulty seeing, and then became unconscious.'


Scully paused for a moment, a flash of memories coming back to her.
The sighting of something white watching them as they had been
heading into Shawnee, the seeming peacefulness she had felt as she
had headed towards unconsciousness in the forest, and the images
that came after that she still didn't quite understand. She knew
she couldn't tell Mulder anything about this, at least not yet. He
was still quite adamant that what they had seen was a unicorn, but
of course he had agreed with Scully, after much cajoling from her,
that they should avoid mentioning that in the report.


Scully came out of her contemplation and smiled as Mulder wandered
into the office with two cups of fresh coffee and a bag of what
Scully supposed was donuts. He placed one cup down on her desk,
then opened the bag and took out a large hot butter croissant for
Scully. He leaned against her desk while he munched on his own
blueberry jelly donut and sipped his coffee.


"Where did you find this?" Scully asked, indicating the croissant
she was currently devouring.


"A new place must have opened while we were in Colorado because I
happened to come across it while it was coming into work this
morning. It seemed to call out to me, 'Come here, buy something'."
Scully couldn't help but chuckle at his final statement. He just
watched her, appreciating the happiness in her expression. Scully
began to feel self-conscious because of his attention.


"What?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably in her chair, but keeping
a curious smile on her face.


"It's just nice to see you smiling again." Scully seemed to take
this at face value and decided not to respond, just enjoy the
compliment. They stayed in a companionable silence for a few
minutes, eating their pastries.


The phone rang on Mulder's desk, breaking the silence. As Mulder
headed for the phone, he queried, "How much you want to bet on
who that is?"


"I may look naive, but I'm certainly no patsy." Mulder
chuckled at her response, then became serious as he put the
receiver to his ear. He didn't say anything, just listened.
As he hung up the receiver, Scully was already at the door,
waiting for him.


They walked to the elevator, then got in once the doors opened.
As the doors closed, Scully began to talk.


"Mulder, I know I told you back in Shawnee that I could handle
things on my own, and I don't want you to think that I can't,
because I can. But I feel that maybe sometimes I should not be
so...well, sometimes maybe I can share some of my thoughts
with you. And I expect you to do the same, this won't be a
one-sided thing." She paused, then continued. "But don't expect
any major revelations...yet," she added quietly, but Mulder had
heard it. He looked at her with a touch of tenderness and
understanding. She looked up at him, and saw the expression on his
face. She couldn't help but smile as he smiled at her.


Then the doors opened to the floor of Skinner's office.


"Ready?" Mulder asked.


"Aren't I always?" Scully replied, a twinkle in her eye.
Mulder extended his left arm to indicate that Scully go before him,
which she did, with Mulder not far behind.


THE END (sort of =)


(note: Just so you don't start screaming at me for the way I've

 ended this, don't worry, it shall continue, but only when I get

 around to feeling like writing the next installment in this

 tale. =)