TITLE: A Chance Meeting (1/1) *prequel to Our Lives Series* AUTHOR: Angharad FEEDBACK: sweet_roses_2000_uk@yahoo.co.uk ARCHIVE: No Archive (previous excursions being the exception). Story will be on my website at http://uk.geocities.com/little_corner_2000/ RATING: PG SPOILERS: None (not in this story anyway) CATEGORY: Pre X File, AU in some parts, Mulder and Scully POV KEYWORDS: MSR DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters from the X Files; they are the property of Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. The other characters however belong to me! SUMMARY: Why there's a connection between them. AUTHORS NOTES: This fic is my theory of why there's a connection between Mulder and Scully which is evident - even in the pilot - and why they trust (and love each other in my opinion) when they've never met each other before but that's where my story comes in. Hope you like it! Especially to the guys who want a pre X files fic. Stay tuned for 4 more (hopefully!) A Chance Meeting A tall man with brown hair crashed into a small woman with red hair as he made his way into the café and she made her way out, "Sorry!" The man apologised holding his hands out in a stop motion. The woman looked up to meet his hazel eyes and smiled ruefully, "I'm sorry too. I'm in a hurry." She explained hastily. "Wait" He told her with urgency in his voice as she made her way to leave, "Do you come here often?" She turned back to face him, "I might. Why?" she replied with a hint of humour in her voice. "Can I see you tomorrow lunch time? I promise not to crash into you again," He added jokingly. "Maybe. It depends if they don't need me." At his confused expression, she added, "At the hospital." "It's a date." He replied. She arched her eyebrows with humour as they smiled at each before she resumed her brisk walk back to the hospital several blocks away. Damn I'm a lucky guy I think ruefully, to meet a woman like that as I make my way into the café to order lunch before heading back to VCS. It surprises me because I don't normally eat out during my lunch break but with the guys, especially with Jerry in the canteen. I'm left to wonder with the fate of it all as I whistle for a cab, holding my lunch and coffee in one hand. I find that I'm actually looking forward to meeting her again, with those intelligent blue eyes. I haven't felt this way since that messy relationship with Phoebe I think darkly. Don't go there I warn myself. As I'm entering the Hoover Building I realise that my steps are almost springy, which brings a funny image to my mind with these long legs I have, causing me to chuckle. One of the guys on the floor who I occasionally work with noticed my chuckle. "Hey what's up man?" He asked smiling before realisation came over him, "Hey everyone, Mulder here has a girlfriend." Everyone looked up and cheered, throwing comments here and there. I just smiled, not bothering to correct them because I have a feeling that this chance meeting between us will turn into something special. I've been rushed off my feet since I got back, not having time to eat my lunch after several trauma victims came in but thankful that I have something to eat later instead of the hospital food in the canteen. I'm sure it's well made but somehow it never seems to taste like food outside the hospital I think with a grimace. I'm now taking a well-earned break in the staff room after working for 5 hours straight, not hungry enough to eat the club sandwich but I acknowledge that I'll probably eat it tonight when I finish my shift at 11. I close my eyes, savouring the peace and I find my mind wondering, throwing me images of the guy I bumped into at the cafe. Hmm he's not bad looking I think appreciatively with a smile on my face but what strikes me the most are his hazel eyes, shifting colour under the light. Hmm tomorrow should be interesting, if I can make it I think with a frown, trying to work out the shifts I'm on in my head. But my musings are interrupted as Carly pops her head around the door to tell me I'm needed. Oh well, another life in the day of a doctor I think ruefully. ================= I walk somewhat nervously to the café, having wrangled some shifts around with a dear friend of mine and I'm aware that I owe her big time. I'll be working more overtime this week I think wryly, to make it up to her. Mulder is watching the door, trying not to be so conspicuous or look desperate, having convinced himself that she isn't going to turn up, being nearly 30 minutes late. Come on I reason with myself, she's a doctor; you can't expect her to be on time. But that logical thought did nothing to reassure him. When she does walk through the door, looking around, without drawing attention to her, I'm aware of feeling happier than the state I was in mere moments ago. Our eyes meet and she walks over to my table somewhat shyly. Dana Scully shy? This will be interesting I think with an amused smile for she doesn't seem that sort of person; it doesn't match her fiery red hair or her clear blue eyes which seems to be daring anyone to defy her. I'm sure she has a bit of a temper on her I think wryly. I walk up to his table noticing the amused expression on his face, now what does he find so amusing? To my surprise, his grins widens even further, threatening to ignite my anger though I can keep it under control, if I want, I think with a hidden smirk. I sit down opposite him to ask him the question I never got around to asking him yesterday in my hurry, "You know, I never did find out your name" I say with a smile on my face. "Fox Mulder" he answers. "Interesting name" I reply with an arched eyebrow. He grimaces, "Please, call me Mulder, everyone else does." "Even your family?" "Yeah, even my family" he answers quietly. I suspect there's something more to it but I don't push him further. I'll leave that one for later. Later? What makes you think there's a later? I question my subconscious before carrying on with the conversation, "so been waiting here long? I'm sorry if you did," I rush on without waiting for him to answer, "I had to change a few shifts around, then an emergency came in and they tried to rope me into it but they can do fine without me" I finished on a smile, feeling slightly embarrassed at being so forthcoming, not to mention rude! But he doesn't seem to mind, he's just following what I'm saying, pinning me with his intense gaze. Normally that would make me feel uncomfortable but for some reason it doesn't. "Want some lunch?" he asks. I then notice he has already eaten and my stomach is growling. "Sure" I reply. We spend the next half hour talking about things that I'm sure most people would find boring before realising that I have to get back to my shift. "Sorry but I have to go - my shift starts again in the next 15 minutes or so" I hastily apologise as I'm putting my coat on and preparing to stand up but he grabs me on the wrist ever so gently but firmly, "Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?" "Um...sure" I reply hesitantly before turning to leave. I see her about to leave when she suddenly turns and writes her phone number on a napkin, why didn't I think of that? Too busy staring at her my brain pipes up. I grab the pen off her and hastily scribble my own phone number on a napkin before passing it to her, our fingertips brushing lightly against each other. I sit there with an amused smile as I see her hesitate once again but what she does next completely surprises me, me who has a psychology degree I think mockingly. She bends down to brush her lips very gently against mine before walking out of the café in that brisk walking style she has, leaving a grin on my face. I walk briskly out of the café, surprised at myself. Why did I do that? I think astonished. Talk about seizing the moment! But then I smile at the memory of his soft, warm lips brushing against mine. It felt right and I then realise that I don't feel ashamed of having done that, especially to a guy I only met yesterday. I continue my walk back to the hospital feeling content with myself, not caring if people walking past could see the expression of contentment on my face to match my hidden smile. ====================== I'm in my apartment, about to head into the shower after a long afternoon shift, when Mulder phones, surprising me - I love the way his name sounds on my tongue I think dreamily. Dreamily? I think with a start, that's a change I think wryly before suddenly returning to the conversation, "I'll pick you up at 7.30." I hear him say. "Sure" I reply. I'm ready to say bye before he hastily added, "ah where do you live?" sounding a little sheepish. I smile before giving him my address. We finally say bye and I hang up smiling even more. Wow he must be good to get me smiling like this I acknowledge with a grin. Scully gets up from where she was sitting on the bed, puts the cordless back on the bedside table and heads to the bathroom across the hall to turn the shower on, testing the water. Slipping out of her bathrobe, she steps under the steaming water, allowing it to wash away the grime and sadness of the day; we couldn't save a kid I reflect but I refuse to think about that, not wanting to let it spoil my rare free evening. And with a gorgeous guy at that I think with a chuckle. After spending a record 15 minutes in the shower I step out to a steam filled bathroom, feeling refreshed. I put my robe on and wrap a towel around my hair thinking of ways of how I can tame the wet curls. But before that you have to figure out what you're going to wear Dana I reminds myself with a groan. With a resigned sigh I head to my wardrobe, chewing my bottom lip, mulling over the choices in front of me. I finally settle on an ankle length black dress which emphasises my slim figure but isn't too dressed up or too casual which fits with where Mulder's taking me, a restaurant though I have no idea where. I then turn my attention to my hair, which is now semi-dry and looking in the bathroom mirror, I ponder what to do with it. After several unsuccessful attempts at trying to straighten my hair out, I give up and pull it back with a slide so some of my hair is resting on my shoulders with a few curls having sprung free, framing my face. I apply my make-up and critically assess myself. Hmm I don't look too bad I decide. A glance at the clock tells me I have 15 minutes left so I head to the kitchen to pour myself some wine from the fridge. After about 5 minutes I start to feel the stirrings of apprehension deep in my stomach; am I wearing the right clothes? Will he like it? Oh stop it I admonish myself, aware that I'm sounding like an insecure teenager. I take deep breaths to calm myself. I hear the tentative knock at the door. Surprised I glance at the clock; he's early. I quickly slip my black sandals on and grab my purse from the kitchen counter along with my keys on the way to the front door. I open it to reveal a very gorgeous Fox Mulder standing in the hallway looking as nervous as I feel but as I take in his appearance; he's wearing black jeans and a black shirt, I start to feel more comfortable. I found myself leaving the Hoover Building at 5 o'clock on the dot much to the surprise of my colleagues especially the female colleagues that have crushes on me I acknowledge with a grin. I can imagine what they're thinking, Spooky Mulder finishing work on time? No overtime? What's gotten into him? While the guys smiled knowing smiles as I went past. Instead of spending half an hour getting ready, I took over an hour, much to my amusement. She must be something I think with a chuckle as I was trying to find some clean clothes. And now I'm outside her apartment door waiting for it to open. I won't admit it but I'm feeling nervous considering I'm early by about 10 minutes but my nerves disappeared as soon as the door opened and my eyes settled on her slender frame. Wow is the only thought that fills my mind; if I thought Dana Scully looked beautiful yesterday, that observation pales in comparison to what I'm seeing now. Words can't describe it. She's wearing a black dress that emphasises her small frame, making her seem fragile but her flaming red hair against the black throws that notion right out of the window. I'm aware of her taking me in like I've been taking her in. I notice that she spent some time on her appearance like I did - I showered and shaved even though I already did this morning and I'm wearing what I don't usually wear - I'm more of a t-shirt and jeans kind of guy. It feels like several minutes have passed when in reality it's only been several seconds. "Hi" I say with a smile. "Hi" she smiles back. "Ready to go?" I ask her, holding out my arm. "Sure" she replied, still smiling I notice, tucking her arm under mine after turning to lock the apartment door behind her. I find that Mulder has taken me to one of the beautiful restaurants in the DC area, meaning that it's expensive I think wryly but surprised seeing as it's our first date. Hmm I have the feeling we'll be seeing more of each other after the night is through I think with a smile as he pulled out a chair for me. I hope she doesn't think I'm being too forward, it is one of the more stylish restaurants in DC, not to mention a little expensive but strangely enough I'm prepared to take her to a place like this and I usually take them to a friendly bar, well the few dates I've had I think wryly as I take my own seat opposite her. Scully takes in the restaurant around her appreciatively, trying not to look too obvious at doing so. It is semi-lit with crystal chandeliers on the wallpapered walls and large ceiling, giving off a warm glow of amber lightening against the rich green wallpaper. Round dark oak tables are spread around the large room with deep red plush cushions on the intricately designed oak chairs. The tables are covered with thick cream coloured oval cloths. Thick cream coloured napkins are bound in gold rings with crystal wine glasses and silverware carefully placed. She notices the large window to her left; velvet drapes adorn the sides, revealing the lights and hustle bustle of the city, a contrast to the quiet and relatively calm atmosphere inside. I notice her looking around the restaurant though she is trying to be discreet about it but I don't disturb her, I just watch her face taking it in, revealing her awe and I'm sure I saw fleetingly, excitement, flitter across her face. This leaves me with a smile on my face; it's obvious that she has never been to a place like this before. I suddenly stop my observations when I notice Mulder smiling at me, "what?" I ask. "Nothing" he replies with a grin still on his face. "You were smiling. At me. Why?" I clarify. "You haven't been to a place like this before have you?" he asks me. "Is it that obvious?" I reply, slightly embarrassed so I avoid his gaze slightly but his next words bring my face up again so I'm meeting his hazel eyes, which seem darker in the semi lightening. "A beautiful woman like you deserves to be treated like this" he tells me quietly. I'm sure I blush slightly but I'm thankful that he doesn't seem to notice. I catch the rosy glow tinting her cheeks but I don't comment, usually I would make some corny comment, a joke to cover up my feelings but I don't want to treat her like that. Whoa you're falling my brain pipes up but before I could argue with myself the waiter arrived to give us the menus. I order the house wine and study the menu as carefully as I can with a certain red head distracting me. I find Mulder glancing my way as I study the menu, trying to decide between the salmon and shrimp salad. I pretend not to notice but I'm flattered by the attention. No one has given me this sort of attention since Daniel. When the waiter comes back to take our orders, I realise I haven't really decided on what I'm having but I try to cover it up by ordering what Dana ordered - salmon. Yum. Well at least no one can say I don't eat fish I think with a slight grimace. Our meals arrive and surprisingly the salmon doesn't actually taste that bad. This woman is a good judge of food. "You say you haven't been here before yet you pick the best meal on the menu. How did you do it?" I ask her with a teasing smile. She looks up from her meal and smiles back demurely, "wouldn't you like to know?" she teases. A woman after my own heart I think with a smile. We continue our light banter and I ask him a question that has nagging at me ever since I first met him, "how come you know so much about me? About how I think?" I add. "Thought you would have worked it out by now" he teases me but says more seriously, "I have a degree in psychology, not practising. I work with the FBI." "That makes sense," I tease back, "with those suits I saw you wearing. You look every inch the FBI agent." I finish on a smile. "So what department are you working in? Something to do with profiling people?" I question. "I work in VCS. Profiling criminals." I notice his reluctance to say more but I suppose its because the work he does is so dark, I've heard about several cases the VCS were solving on the news, the recent one being a few months ago about a elusive serial killer. I don't push him though and we don't talk again until we finish our meals. "That was gorgeous," I say with a satisfied smile on my face. Mulder echoes my sentiments and continues, "feel up to having desert?" he asks with what I can only assume is his devilish smile. "I couldn't eat anything else, though if its chocolate ice cream I might be able to fit it in." Why did I give that away? God I'm too truthful around this man. Mulder, not surprisingly, grins, making his hazel eyes light up from the inside with happiness. Now why did I notice that? I ponder before my brain pipes up, you're falling Dana. No I'm not I think indignantly, I only met him two days ago. It's no use fighting, the logical side of me pipes up but it's not right, how can I fall for a guy I only met two days ago? I watch her, hiding an amused smile by drinking from the wine glass. I can see she's arguing with herself, since she let slip the comment about the ice cream. At that moment a beeping noise sounds from her little black bag. She looks momentarily surprised before quickly recovering and quickly reaches for her bag under the table, shutting the noise down. As a waiter goes past she catches his attention and asks him for a phone. She looks somewhat anxious as she waits for him to return. I wait until she has received her message before speaking again but her forehead wrinkles in a frown and she looks up to me with a worried expression in her blue eyes. "What's wrong?" I ask, concerned. "I'm sorry. I have to go. There's been a fire. They need my help," she answers as she gets up from the table, preparing to go. "Where?" I question, getting up from the table myself. She looks up from her bag and answers with fear in her eyes though she tries to cover it, "at the hospital. Where I work," she adds absently. "I'm coming with you" I answer quickly. I cut off her protests before it leaves her lips, "I drove you here. You have no way of getting there and it's too far for you to walk. Besides they might need my help. I work with the FBI remember?" that elicits a small smile from her now pale face. I hurriedly pay the bill and we walk out of the restaurant, my hand settling on the small of her back, guiding her. I feel his warm hand settle on the small of my back, guiding me but I'm too distracted to enjoy the feeling. I'm anxious to get to the hospital. A thought suddenly pops into my head, I wonder if Carly is okay? She's working the night shift. I sit in the car holding my hands tightly as Mulder makes his way to the hospital. I notice that she looks anxious but I concentrate on getting to the hospital as quickly as I can but I also notice that she has slipped into doctor mode when we arrive whereas I stare at the scene before me for several minutes. It has to be arson to create a blaze this big. One wing of the hospital is engulfed in flames, lightening up the dark sky with its yellow-orange streaks. I walk briskly to a group of doctors and nurses, a safe distance away from the hot flames, to be greeted by Carly. We quickly hug, relief flowing through me that she's okay. "What's the situation?" I ask her. "We got most of the patients out because we smelled the smoke but the fire still spread quickly." "Most?" "Yeah, some are trapped. The fire crew is getting them out, we just have to treat them." She quickly led me to a group of about 10 people with 4 nurses tending to them. I quickly take over and attend to a young boy who is suffering from minor burns. I spot Dana and walk quickly to her side. She looks up when my shadow falls over her but she goes back to her work as a doctor. She doesn't need my help. So I head toward the fire crew, seeking out the chief. "Need any help?" I ask a butch man with chief printed on the arm sleeves. He looks me up and down, "and you are?" "Agent Fox Mulder" I reply but I quickly add, "I'm not here in the official capacity, my girlfriend is a doctor and it looked like you could do with some help." He seems to take my words at face value and nods, "we could do with some help over there." He indicates to a small group of men pulling patients out as quickly as they can. I jog over to them and several of the men leave to help battle the fire. "Go round that side and help support the structure," a grimy faced man said on my arrival. I nod and quickly get to work. It is close to midnight and we've finally rescued all the patients who were still inside. The fire is now a mass of smouldering embers with the fire service still pouring water by the gallon full onto the damaged wing. They'll need to rebuild I think ruefully, thinking of the setbacks they'll have. Finished I head to where Dana is. She looks tired but still continues ruthlessly. I feel gentle hands tug at my shoulders. I look up to see a grimy faced and sweaty Mulder standing behind me, trying to convince me to stop. I pause on my haunches and look around me for the first time since we first arrived. I've been so absorbed in treating the patients, a few who I know, that I didn't notice that I had been spending longer on each one with the dying flames. Carly walks up to me at that moment, "hey Dana, you can stop now. You've been working like a bull seeing red since you got here. Go home and I'll see you in the morning." I smile a grateful smile at her and slowly get up, my knees creaking in protest, helped by Mulder's strong hands. I hug her goodnight before turning to walk back to Mulder's car. At the first stumble I make, I feel Mulder slip his warm arm around me and I lean into the curve of his shoulder, realising how tired I am. We finally reach his car and I slowly sink into the passenger seat. Looking down I also realise that my dress is stained with dirt and in some places, with blood though it isn't that visible on the black material of my dress. Mulder drives me home and walks me up to my apartment. I invite him in and ask him to stay the night. He accepts but takes the couch like I half expected him to. I don't know why I asked him to stay but I guess I wanted some company, even if he is in the next room, seeing as Carly won't be back until eight in the morning at the earliest, depending on how things go at the hospital. I crawl into bed, my hair damp after showering and fall into an exhausted sleep. I accept her invitation to stay the night, realising her need for company but I need her company too. It could have been her stuck in that hospital tonight, fighting for her life. I realise then that I'm in love with her when that thought passes. I shower after Dana and make myself as comfortable as I can on the couch. With my head resting on my hands I think about that revelation. In the morning we both head back to the hospital to assess the damage, again Mulder driving me. We meet up with the chief to find that the cause of the fire was faulty wiring in the equipment that was used the most. I'm surprised at this and the equipment was due to be checked next week! I see her sigh, "what?" I ask her. "The equipment was due to be checked next week," she answers on another sigh. I can imagine the thoughts running through her mind but a thought suddenly strikes me, "how old is this equipment?" "A few years. Why?" she asks, turning to face me after staring at the remains of the west wing. I focus my attention on the chief, "may we go in to see the damaged equipment?" He looks suspicious for a minute before he remembers that I'm an FBI agent, "sure. Follow me but be careful, some of the structures aren't stable" he warns. Dana frowning at my query follows close behind as we enter the black building. We pick our way through the remains before reaching the cause of the fire. "Here's the damaged wiring." I bend down to look at the wiring carefully, it did look frayed though with equipment only a few years old, it shouldn't have deteriorated as quickly as it did but I could find no evidence of tampering like I suspected. I speak my thoughts aloud; "I think it's the suppliers fault" I finish. They both agree and we turn to head back outside. I don't know about the others but I'm finding the sooty air stifling and my lungs are longing to get back outside, to the crisp fresh air. Just before we exited the fire exit doors, I heard a loud rumbling noise. I stop in my tracks, wondering where it's coming from. I'm startled out of my reverie by chief Johnson shouting, "it's coming down! Get out now!" I hurry after Mulder and I see him run out into the hospital grounds before a cloud of ash comes tumbling down, blocking my view before I lose consciousness as pieces of the floor above me hit my body and push me to the floor with its weight. I turn to see Dana disappear behind a cloud of ash and I hear the creaking structure hit the floor for 10 long minutes. I rush to the door to be restrained by Johnson, "you have to wait until it stops coming down," he tells me in my ear. I'm still struggling to reach her, the only thought in my mind being no! I'm not going to lose her! I dimly hear the sirens of an ambulance arriving. I'm watching the several men that were on the scene with Johnson when we arrived this morning at 10am dig Dana out. It's now 11am. Unable to watch them any longer I frantically help them dig her out, calling her name every 10 seconds. After 15 long minutes, we uncover her dusty, still breathing body and the paramedics are trying to push us aside to reach her but I refuse to leave her side. They finally get her out properly and carefully put her on the stretcher before taking her to the ambulance. I'm still by her side but I'm feeling more helpless as the seconds pass. Without question I hop in the ambulance, which takes us to the next hospital, and I grab her hand to hold during the journey. Once we're in the hospital I'm banished to the waiting room with me pacing the room anxiously but it isn't long before I'm allowed to see her. I walk into her room to be greeted by a pale-faced woman lying in the hospital bed, looking small in the oversized hospital gown. I wouldn't have recognised her if it weren't for her flaming red hair. I stay by her bedside, still holding her hand until she wakes late afternoon. But while I was keeping vigil I came to an important decision. The first thing I can feel is a warm hand holding my hand gently. I open my eyes slowly to see Mulder looking back at me. I then realise that it is him who is holding my hand. I smile weakly but soon grimace as a pain shoots through my head. I do a quick inventory, I probably have concussion and my back feels a little sore, bruises I decide but nothing overly serious. I decide to rest my eyes for a few minutes. When I open them again I see Mulder looking at me with anticipation in his eyes. "Hey" I say. "Hey" he smiles back, "I have something to ask you." I look at him expectantly. "Will you marry me?" he asks quickly. I'm sure surprise registered on my face but then I break out into a full-fledged grin, "yes" I answer him for I know that I do love him even though I only realised it a moment ago. He breaks out into a grin himself and places a chaste kiss on my forehead. I smile at that. "Sorry the setting isn't better" he apologises. "It doesn't matter" I quickly assure him, "you can always propose to me again" I finish on a smile. "Next time I'll give you a ring," he smiles back. The End *Continues in Our Lives Series 01 - Bliss*