A/N: Okay, I am back to writing a multi-chapter story now. As in most of my stories, it contains little references to the show up to mid-season 7, but nothing that I'd consider a spoiler.

Disclaimer: Neither Mulder nor Scully nor Skinner nor CSM nor anyone else who I may decide to use from the show is mine. This will be my only disclaimer, but it extends for the whole story, as I'm sure you can figure out.

Also, in case you're interested, "Tempus Abrit" means "Time Changes" in Latin.

Tempus Abrit

"Time. A universal invariant? Perhaps. Then again, perhaps not. Suppose, just for a moment, that time is less like a river, always running steadily onward without a stop; and more like a tapestry – many intermingling threads that run straight but are nevertheless entangled as they blend to form a definite pattern. Now imagine that some hand, science or God or a sheer twist of fate, was to pull loose one of these threads and cause it to loop back on itself, allowing room for others to fill the void that it created. To travel from one part to another, from one moment to the next, or even the moment before…"

"Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt your elegant poetic ramblings, but are you in essence trying to sell me on the idea of time travel?"

"Come on, Scully. With your background – challenging Einstein in your senior thesis and all – you should know that it is a distinct possibility."

"Theoretically, yes. But humans have neither the stamina nor the technology to do anything like that, and in all likelihood we will not for a long time, if not ever."

"Correct, humans do not."

"Oh my God, Mulder, is this about time-traveling aliens? Please, tell me it's not. I just can't."

He grinned at her, then shook his head and continued, "No, of course not. That's ridiculous!"

She snorted.

"I'm saying, what about fate? Destiny? Karma? God? Whatever you want to call it, that universal transcendent force that we'll never really understand. What about random possibilities?"

"So you're saying that someone could just randomly look up and… kaboom? They would be in a different time period?"

The distaste apparent on her face was enough to make him look somewhat discomfited. "No! Not like that… Well, not quite like that, anyway. It sounds so ridiculous when you say it!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Should I try to sound more akin to some medieval poet when I speak, as you do?"

She smirked and he gave her a fake pouty look. "You wound me."

"Hey, if you have a better explanation, I'm open to it."

"Some things just can't be explained, you know."

"Look, it's late. I am not going there right now. We can talk about it more tomorrow, if you want, okay?" She grabbed her suitcase and jacket. "You should go home and rest too, you know."

"Sure, right. But tomorrow I will convince you of this."

"Sure, right. Goodnight."

"Night."

She walked out briskly, and he could tell that she was trying her hardest not to roll her eyes. He loved her, but he could not understand how she could be so closed to so many possibilities.

Home. It's overrated, he thought as he pushed back his chair and closed his eyes. He was asleep before he knew it.

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Across town, Scully was getting ready for bed and thinking about what he had been saying. It was an interesting thought, she'd give him that. But she was not in any way convinced. How he could be so sure was a puzzlement to her. Then again,he had always been a puzzle. She deeply admired his strength and conviction, but she just could not share in his unshakable beliefs in various paranormal phenomena.

"Time travel," she murmured as she crawled into bed, shaking her head in wry amusement. "I cannot believe that man."

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift to sleep, wondering if once again she would dream all about "that man" and how much she really wanted him by her side.

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When Scully opened her eyes, she was no longer in her room.

As usual, please let me know what you think of this beginning and if you'd want me to continue. Review!