OUR GUARDIAN By: Rebecca Ford Email Address: sweetchick_2000@hotmail.com Rated G Category: SR Spoilers: none Keywords: Mulder/Scully romance Summary: After one hectic day at the office, the two agents are visited by their shared guardian angel through a dream...or was it a dream? Hey everyone! This is my 2nd story *ever* I have submitted, so I hope you like it! If you don't know me, which you probably don't, my name is Rebecca and I am 15 years old. I *adore* the X-Files and I equally *adore* writing fanfic, so I hope you like this piece! Feedback is very much appreciated!! Thanks and enjoy!!! Disclaimer: Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully belong to Chris Carter, the Fox Network and Ten Thirteen Productions...lucky people!!! I'm just borrowing them!! No copyright infringement is intended so please don't sue me! I'm only 15!!! =) OUR GUARDIAN by Rebecca Ford Dana Scully's Apartment Washington DC Friday evening 11:08 pm Dana Scully stepped through the threshold into her apartment and threw down her briefcase in exasperation. It had been another frustrating day at the office...but when was it not? Again, her and Agent Mulder had been denied the re-opening of the X-Files. Mulder had been silent the entire way home. He was obviously upset, but kept it in for her sake. Every day the two agents were faced with something, whether it be at the office or in their personal lives that made them miserable. She began to wonder how much longer they could carry on like this. At least now it was the weekend. Two days of relaxation before returning to work, where it all started again. She quickly changed into her nightwear and settled down comfortably on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and flipped on the t.v. Soon her eyelids began to feel heavy. The images on the television became a blur of colours and shapes. She unknowingly put down her cup, and too tired to get up and walk to her bedroom, fell asleep on the couch. Not long after she fell asleep, she was awoken by the sound of soft footsteps. She immediately jumped up, her heart racing. There was definitely someone walking around in her apartment. "Hello?" she called frantically, still groggy from sleep. Suddenly, a young woman appeared in front of her. She seemed to come out of nowhere. Scully froze, squinting. "Wh-who are you?" she gasped. The woman smiled warmly. Without a word she walked right past Scully and sat down on her chair and gazed thoughtfully out the window. Dumbfounded and paralyzed with shock, Scully could only stand there gaping at her. She was one of the most beautiful women Scully had ever seen. She seemed to be fairly young, in her early thirties. She had light brown wavy hair bouncing at her shoulders, and gorgeous hazel eyes. Her expression was warm. She was dressed in a sky-blue silk robe. "Dana please don't be scared," came her calm, soothing voice. She glanced away from the window at Scully. This made Scully even more terrified. Here was this woman she had never seen before in her life, walking around in her apartment, and she even knew her *name*! Scully couldn't even muster up a gasp. She was too overwhelmed to make a sound. She was *still* frozen in place. The woman got up slowly, and took a few steps toward Scully. "Do you know who I am Dana?" she asked, looking into her eyes intensely. Scully put a shaking hand to her chest. "N--no," she barely whispered. "Dana, I know who you are," she began softly. "I know you very well, and I'm not surprised you have no clue who I am." When Scully didn't say a word, she continued. "I've been watching you all these years Dana. You and Fox make a great team. I don't think you realize all the good you have done these past six years." At the mention of the name 'Fox', Scully jumped. "Fox?" she exclaimed hoarsely. The woman smiled back at her matter-of-factly. "Yes Dana. Do you know who I am now?" A wave of nausea suddenly swept over Scully. She tried to steady herself by grasping onto a chair. It couldn't be..... Samantha? "Dana, I wanted to tell you before I....go," she hesitated, shaking a little. When she composed herself, she continued. "Y--you're the best thing that has ever happened to him Dana. I don't know where he would be if it weren't for you. You've been his everything. After all he's been through, you're the one at the end of the day that makes everything worthwhile for him. I--I just wanted to thank you for making his life complete." She ended with a short gasp, tears brimming in her eyes. Scully just stood there with her mouth open. There was no doubt in her mind now. Scully started shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't believe this was happening. Mulder's sister...but it couldn't be! Wasn't she....... "Dana!" came her voice, more loudly than before, which snapped Scully out of her reverie. She walked up to her and grabbed her arm firmly. Scully didn't try to pull away. "Dana listen to me," she said. "You bring meaning to his life. I dread to think where he would be without you! Look at your relationship. Look how it has changed over these past six years! You're more than partners Dana, you know that. *He* knows that. You have done for each other that *no one else* could have done." Scully raised her head to look Samantha directly in the eye. Samantha. She shuddered slightly. She still couldn't believe it. "W-what are you trying to say?" she stammered. "Dana, after all you've accomplished together, you're *still* both miserable!! Do you know why?" Scully looked down and slowly up again, remaining silent. She continued. "Because you are both without the *one* thing that will truly make you happy....make your life complete," she whispered. Samantha released Scully's arm gently and started to walk away. She turned around one final time and the two women faced each other. A tear rolled down Samantha's cheek. "Dana, don't let love pass you by," she whispered, trying to fight more tears that threatened. "You never know Dana. You never know. The next day it could be gone," she sobbed. She started to walk away towards the kitchen. She looked back one final time before she faded into the blackness of the night, as quickly as she appeared. Scully was left standing there, numb with shock. She was shivering partly from the encounter, and partly from the cold. Suddenly Samantha's final words to her sunk in and Scully dissolved into tears. She didn't even remember dragging herself back to the couch. * * * * * * * * Fox Mulder's Apartment Washington DC Friday evening 11:43 pm Fox Mulder tossed and turned. This was not unusual. He hardly ever got a good night's sleep. He got up off the couch and sauntered into the kitchen to get himself a cup of warm milk. Suddenly he got the feeling that he was being watched. He wheeled around. Nobody was there. He shrugged and went back to making his drink. When the milk was done, he took it and walked back into the living room, sipping it slowly. Suddenly he stopped and dropped the glass. Milk splattered everywhere and the glass shattered into dozens of pieces on the floor. "Who are you?" he demanded, staring at the young woman standing right before him. "Fox, it's me," she replied, taking a step toward him. He stepped back, shaking his head. He put his arms up, as if to guard himself. "What?" he asked, shocked. Then he paused for a second and studied her carefully. "Samantha?" he whispered. She nodded a little, biting her shaking lip. Mulder blinked back tears that threatened. He shook his head in disbelief. It couldn't be. But he couldn't ignore the resemblance. Same hair, same piercing eyes. The same way she said 'Fox'. "Fox, it's me, please believe me. I know you've been fooled over the years but this time it is truly me," she said. "Why? H-how?" he stammered, still trembling from shock. "I can't stay long Fox..." she began, ignoring his urgent questions. But he interrupted. He ran over to her and grabbed her shoulders firmly to look her directly in the eye. "Tell me everything Samantha. Tell me about your life, I want to know everything!" he pleaded, trembling. "No Fox wait," she said firmly, grabbing his wrist. He stared at her in confusion, and let his arms fall. "What?" he asked. "That's not important Fox. That's not what I came here to talk about," she said, releasing his wrist and walking slowly to the couch. "Not important?" he exclaimed. "How can you say that? What could be more important than finding out the truth?" She smiled and shook her head. "You will one day Fox. You will," she spoke confidently. "For now though, that's not what I'm here for." He opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out. He quickly snapped it shut. "Why are you so unhappy Fox?" she asked him suddenly, concerned. He was taken aback by this sudden question, and he stared silently at her in confusion. She answered her own question. "You're missing something.....*someone*," she corrected herself. He remained silent, searching her eyes. "I only want you to be happy!" she exclaimed. "You're devoted and brilliant. You've got everything going for you, but you're still miserable! You're without the one thing that will make your life complete. Don't wait until it's too late Fox. I only want what's best for you, and we *both* know what that is." He looked at her, instantly understanding what she was saying. He felt a lump in his throat, and swallowed hard. "Don't let love pass you by Fox. You never know, the next day it could be gone," came the identical advice already given that night. She placed her hand gently on her brother's, and smiled. He felt his whole body go warm. "Love can take away all the pain Fox," she murmured, as her voice faded slowly. "Samantha?" he called frantically his arms outstretched, searching for her. "Samantha..." he murmured feebly again, as light faded into blackness. * * * * * * * * Snackers Restaurant Washington DC Saturday evening 6:35 pm "Here's your salad ma'am," came the polite voice of the waiter in the restaurant. Scully glanced up at him. "Thank you," she replied as he placed the small bowl in front of her. She didn't feel like eating. She didn't even know how she had managed to pull herself out of bed that day. She hadn't been able to get her dream out of her mind all day. It was her first thought when she woke up, and she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it all day. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about *Mulder* all day. She'd done a lot of thinking that morning. And she'd come to only one possible conclusion. She loved Fox Mulder. With all her heart. She tried to remember when all this started. She assumed right at the beginning, the day she walked into his office and took his hand. Part of her fell for him right then. Years had come and gone, and so had so many tragedies in her life. But surprisingly this didn't waver her. This didn't pull her away. Because it was *him*. She'd only grown closer to him. Now looking back over these six years, with feelings of utter joy and pain, she felt a hot tear slide down her cheek. Was it possible he had no idea how much she loved him? For such a brilliant mind, could he not see what was right in front of him? She couldn't totally blame him though. She hadn't exactly been open to him on the subject. Her mind suddenly drifted back to the previous night. "Don't let love pass you by Dana." Scully shook her head, snapping out of the memory. No Dana, she scolded herself. It was just a dream. Just a dream. Or was it? Of course it was, she told herself. How could it be real? But what was said in the dream was so right it scared even *her*. Embarrassed by her sudden emotions, she hid her face, hoping no one would notice her quiet tears. But someone did. He almost fell over when he saw her step into the restaurant only minutes after him. Surprisingly, she didn't notice him in there, as she quietly took her seat only a few feet away from him. As Fox Mulder watched his partner, he felt a sudden stab of pain in his heart. His heart ached with each tear that fell. And with her expression. That look of utter longing. How could he have ignored her simple longing to be loved? For so long he had done that. Because of his own selfishness and demanding of her help in solving cases, he'd kept her from living her life. "You're without the one thing that will make your life complete," echoed the all-too familiar words which he had gone over and over in his head from the second he woke up. He almost hoped that last night's encounter was a dream, but it was far too vivid, far too real, and far too meaningful. And he couldn't deny how those words made sense. Scully was the only one who understood him. The only one who respected him. The only one who treated him like a human being. Why else would she have stuck around, even after all the pain he had caused her? And that's why he loved her. He felt a lump forming in his throat. He couldn't bear another minute seeing her in such misery. He got up from his table, and slowly made his way over to her table. He quickly slid into the booth right across from her. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when he suddenly appeared in front of her. "Mulder!" she exclaimed, startled beyond belief. "Hey Scully," he said warmly, eyeing her with a concerned expression. "What are you doing here?" she sniffed, embarrassed. She dabbed her eyes quickly with a napkin, feeling her face go warm. "Just about to ask you the same question," he replied. She looked at him quizzically. He grinned. "I saw you walk in here just a few minutes after I arrived," he explained softly. She gasped silently to herself and shut her eyes for a few seconds. They both sat there in awkward silence for a few minutes. Suddenly Mulder reached out and grabbed Scully's hands from across the table and placed them gently in his. Her heart began beating furiously, as she stared at their intertwined hands. She glanced up at him curiously. He smiled. "You know Scully," he began gruffly, looking at her in a way he never has before. "A wise person once told me not to let...not to let love pass you by, because you never know what could happen. It could be gone the next day." Astonished by what Mulder had just said, Scully could only return his look. As she fought to keep her composure yet again, she replayed over and over in her mind what he had just said. If she was not mistaken, did she not receive the exact same advice, only hours earlier? This made her shudder, and her heart beat faster as she realized something. They both had the exact same visitor that night. No, not a visitor to her anymore. More like a guardian. *Their* guardian. It could have been a dream. Or it could have been something more than that. But that didn't matter to them right then. "Now we're complete," she whispered, also repeating a wise quote. Mulder gasped and his eyes instantly widened. He knew. They're eyes locked, and their unspoken words managed to say all they wanted to say right then. Although the restaurant was filled with loud laughter and talking that evening, the two agents only heard one sound. Their own silent thank you's to a very special person who helped them find the happiness that changed their lives forever. THE END ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ That's it! It took me almost two weeks to complete but I had a lot of fun writing it! What did you think? Comments are appreciated! Please email me at sweetchick_2000@hotmail.com! Thanks! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~