Things Unsaid

Part 8

by Trycee

Time-Line: Season 7: Closure. This is told from Scully's perspective. Mulder learns more about his mother, Teena, after her funeral from her relatives.

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-files, this is written for fun, not profit.

On our way to the airport, we stopped by Tom Kuipers home in Gates Mill, Ohio. Mulder wanted to try one last time to at least see his grandmother again. He rang the door bell and looked in the windows. I sat in the car and could see that the home looked abandoned to me. Finally, he gave up and placed the flowers he'd bought by the front door. When he turned to walk towards me, I could see his shoulder's slumped low.

We said nothing as we drove to the airport. When we returned to D.C., we stopped by my apartment to gather his things. I wanted to stay at home, it seemed like an eternity since I'd been there but we drove 15 more minutes to his apartment. I went up the elevator with him and when he opened the door, there was a stale smell in his apartment. He immediately, opened a window and I saw that there was work to be done. He hadn't been in his apartment since after we'd returned from California and he'd come to peace with his sister's death and recovered from the shock of his mother's death, and so all of his fish were dead and floating in the tank. I took off my jacket and started removing them from the tank and tossing them into the trash. I turned to see Mulder watching me as he returned from the kitchen with his moldy refrigerator food, I assumed. He seemed surprised to see me helping me. I handed him the trash with the dead fish and moved past him to find some cleaning supplies. The first thing that needed to be cleaned was his stinky leather sofa.

After wiping it down and cleaning up and around until I was satisfied with Mulder's help, a little, since he was mostly watching me, I walked into his bedroom and stared at the setting of many of my fantasies. I could see Mulder standing at the doorway, again, watching me. I locked eyes with him for a few moments and saw that he was curious and even a little, hopeful? I turned back and began to strip his sheets and he was beside me quickly. "Scully, you don't have to do this," he said.

I smiled. "Mulder, you know I won't feel right until you have fresh sheets to sleep on tonight," I said.

He helped me but mostly watched as I stretched across his large bed to gather the other side. I heard him gasp and I glanced back and his mouth was gaped open. I gathered the sheet end and navigated back to his side and gathered it in a ball. "You'll have to wash them yourself," I said, looking up into his eyes.

Mulder bent down and planted a soft kiss on my cheek, running his fingers against my skin. I smiled and looked back up at him. "That was nice," I said.

He nodded but then I turned and went into his bathroom, returning with cleaned sheets. He helped me fix his bed and I looked one last time at his bed before turning and walking back to his living room.

"You have enough food?", I asked, motherly.

He shyly glanced down. "I'm fine now," he said. "Thanks to you."

I looked at my feet and then gazed back up at him. "Maybe we could do something tomorrow, Mulder. I mean, we don't have to be back at work until Monday and I'm sure Skinner will expect our reports on his desk the minute we get there. Maybe we can do something fun."

Since Mulder's mother's death, I'd nearly forgotten what fun was...It seemed like there'd been way too many tears lately.

"I'd love too," he said, but then I saw his eyes shifted and he had a far away look in his eyes. " I have to go to my mother's home and start clearing it out. I decided to sell my mother and father's homes," he said.

"I could help you," I said.

He lifted his hand and pushed a stray strand of hair in the back of my ear. "Thanks, Scully and I know if I need you, you'll be there."

"I would," I said, feeling a brush-off coming.

He placed his finger under my chin, lifting it so that I was staring him in the eye. "I need to do this alone but I'm okay now," he said. "Because of you..."

I could feel a few tears in the corner of my eyes. He gave me a quick peck on the lips and released me. I held his hand and squeezed it. "If you need anything, Mulder..."

"I know," he said.

I turned to walk towards the door and he called my name. I turned to look at him. "Thank You for everything, Scully. It means more to me then you'll ever know."

I smiled. "It was my pleasure, Mulder," I said.

I opened the door and closed it behind me. I stood there a moment, feeling like we'd crossed a bridge. I knew that I would keep my phone close to me in case he needed me. I would drop what I was doing and be at his side as quickly as I could but for now, I needed to take a step-away from his door and go home.

THE END

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