Title: Closure
Author: TCS 1121
Email: TCS1121@hotmail.com
Classification: Post Ep for IMTP Justice
Interrupted 1 & 2
Rating: R
Keywords: MSR
Spoilers: IMTP VS9, Justice Interrupted 1,
IMTP VS10 Justice Interrupted 2—Written
by Dawn Zemke and Sally Bahnsen
Disclaimer: 1013, not I, own these characters,
Dawn Zemke and Sally Bahnsen own the
original storyline
Special thanks to dtg, for being a kind and
thoughtful beta.
Summary: When justice was interrupted for Sal
DeAngelo, Mulder provided closure.
But, can Scully and Mulder, achieve closure
themselves?
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The makings for a slow, romantic weekend were
dwindling by the minute.
Last night, Scully carefully packed her bags,
looking forward to a long weekend of bad
movies, soft candlelight, and warm, loving
arms. Now she paced between the kitchen
and living room, checking her watch every five
minutes, and cringing every time the
phone rang.
“Hey Scully, it’s me. I’m running late. I have
to pick up my suits from the dry cleaner
before we go. I’ve forgotten them twice
already, and I’m afraid they’re gonna start
charging me rent. I’ll come and get you right
after, okay?”
“Oh, Scully, I was on my way when I remembered
that some evidence in our basement
freezer needed to be shuttled over to the lab.
I know how you hate it when green stuff
grows in there <forced chuckle>. I’m on my way
over now. See you soon.”
His phone calls began at nine in the morning,
and ended at three in the afternoon, when
they finally departed on their one-hour drive
to Hagerstown. Because of all the talking
on the phone, Scully thought bitterly, Mulder
had no conversation left once entering
Washington County.
They pulled up at The Atlantis, and Mulder
shifted the Taurus into park. “Well, here we
are,” he said into the windshield.
“Look, Mulder. I’ll understand if you don’t
want to do this.” Scully blushed, and tried
again. “I mean, if you don’t want to do this
here, I’ll understand.” That wasn’t much
better.
He smiled softly. “I think the owner wants to
do this for us, and I think we ought to let
him. Besides,” he turned to her, “it’ll give
me the chance to slay another one of my
demons. Trade a bad memory,” he touched her
hair, “for a good one.” Mulder turned
back toward the windshield, and drummed his
fingers against the steering wheel, staring
steadily at the trident logo of The Atlantis.
Scully sighed, and ran her hand gently over the
bruises on his face. His injuries hadn’t
healed. Not on the outside, and not on the
inside.
“It’s okay, Scully. I really want to do this
here, with you.” He said the right things, but
his heart wasn’t the one speaking at the
moment.
“You know, Mulder, The Atlantis is using a sea-
inspired name for their motel.” She
gestured toward the Atlantis’s Trident logo.
“And that really bothers me because
Hagerstown is a land-locked city. I don’t
think *I* want to stay here.”
He blinked twice, then shook his head. “You
are so full of shit.”
“I’d prefer it if you said that I was
‘transparent’. Trade places with me.”
“What?”
“Move out of the way, and let me drive.” She
nudged him with her left knee, and held
out her hand. “Keys.”
He started to say something, but she tapped the
palm of her hand, showing him that she
meant business.
“Aww hell, I wanted Skinner to use these
coupons for himself, anyway.” Mulder
dropped the car keys into her hand, and opened
his door.
Scully walked around the front of the car,
while Mulder walked around the rear. They
got in, and slammed the doors.
She adjusted the seat, gunned the engine,
turned the car around, and headed out to route
40. After a few minutes, Mulder laid his head
on the back of the seat, and closed his
eyes.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“Plan B,” she replied, making a sharp left.
The fall leaves peak early in Western Maryland.
While the trees in DC and Baltimore
were still green, the hardwood trees of
Washington County were a mixture of yellow,
red,
and orange. The sign at the graveled drive
read:
Wingrove Manor Inn Bed and Breakfast.
“It’s beautiful,” Mulder said, gazing at the
Victorian mansion through the passenger side
window. “It almost doesn’t look real.”
“It is lovely, isn’t it?” Scully smiled,
watching him take in the scenery. “I called
for
reservations yesterday. Usually the Wingrove
is booked in advance, but the couple who
reserved the Hunt Suite, on the second floor,
came down with chicken pox.”
“No kidding?” He laughed. “The Bed and
Breakfast gods smiled down upon you while
smiting your foes with the Pox?” The chuckle
wasn’t forced this time as he got out of the
car.
The air was crisp, and smelled faintly of
chimney smoke. Scully stepped out of the car,
and tied her sweater around her shoulders.
Mulder stood with his hands on his hips,
staring up at the pillared entrance. The
breeze ruffled his hair; he turned and grinned
broadly.
“Wow. Is this cool, or what?” he asked, as he
walked up the brick steps to the entrance
walkway. “We can stay here tonight, right?”
He stood under the portico, shaded from
the setting sun, looking so young smiling at
her like that.
“Tonight and tomorrow night. If you want,” she
said.
“Yeah.” He tipped his chin down, looking at
her through his lashes. “I think I want.”
The goose bumps prickling her arms and neck
didn’t come from the cool autumn air.
He held out his hand. She climbed the steps,
and joined him behind the pillars.
~~~
“What–ungh–a beautiful room.” Mulder panted
as sweat trailed down his face.
“It was,” she gasped. “Before you decorated it
with our clothes.”
“You’re… what makes the room… so
breathtaking.” Mulder reared up, and threw his
head back.
Breathing hard and fast, he slowly brought his
head down, never closing his eyes. Scully
knew he liked to look at her, and over time,
she, too, had learned not to blink. It was
beautiful watching him like this.
The moment of truth was always preceded by a
hiss. It was his valiant attempt to say her
name. Once he managed to growl out,
“Ssscu…Ssscull…” before falling in a heavy
heap
on her chest.
Scully dropped her head back and gasped for
air, as in the distance, she heard a gentle
hissing sound. Several minutes later Mulder’s
lips glided over her cheek, kissing her.
Kissing her eyes, her hair, her lips.
Mulder smiled quietly, the corners of his eyes
crinkling as he looked down on her.
“There’s nothing as beautiful as watching you,
loving me.”
She smiled and nodded; she understood.
He eased away from her, and held her close.
His embrace tightened, and she rubbed her
cheek into the course hair stippling his chest.
He said softly, “I thought I’d never see you
again. That this…” He tipped his head down,
and kissed her tenderly. “Would never
happen again.” He swallowed. “In my heart, I
believed that McNally would kill me.”
“Shh, Mulder…”
“Please, Scully, I want you to know.” After
pressing kisses onto her hair, he tucked her
head under his chin. “When I was cuffed to
that bed,” he whispered, “…waiting for
McNally to return, and do God knows what to me,
I prayed for another chance. A
chance to do better, and a chance to take away
the hurt I’d caused you.”
As he spoke, his breath puffed against her ear,
“Every time I closed my eyes, you were
there. I needed to see you, hear your voice,
and feel your arms around me again. You
gave me the strength I needed to fight him.”
He looked at her, and paused. “I felt an
inner spirit fighting for justice, but I also
felt his pain. It was awful, Scully. Sal was
torn
from the woman he loved, and he wasn’t ready…
he wasn’t ready.” Scully had to strain
to hear him. “I didn’t want that, Scully, not
for me, and not for you.”
“I know.” She swallowed. “You fought for all
of us. For you and me, for Sal and
Vickie. And you won.” She brushed her
fingertips across his cheek. “You won.”
She curled up, and Mulder wrapped his arms
around her. The window was open, and the
lace curtains billowed. He hugged her tighter.
She yawned, closed her eyes, and snuggled
against him. In the haze of his body warmth,
and in the afterglow of lovemaking, Scully
heard him ask, “…a bedtime story?”
“M’kay,” she said, hoping that was the right
answer.
He nuzzled the top of her head, and cleared his
throat. “Once upon a time, there was a
very powerful ruler. He was the most powerful
man in the world, and one day, he
decided to build a secret retreat. The perfect
place for his sanctuary would be in the
Catoctin Mountains, not too far from here.”
“G’night, Mulder,” she said sleepily.
“No, wait Scully, you’ll want to hear this.
This is about tomorrow’s adventure.”
“What adventure?” One eye opened a crack.
“Just listen. Let’s see, where was I?” He
tucked a few strands behind her ear. “Oh yes.
So this powerful ruler ordered his armies to
build him a strong, safe haven, away from
other powerful men who would harm him. And so
they did. When it was completed, he
called it Shangri-La.”
“Shangri-La, Mulder?” She tried to open her
eyes. “We’re going to search for Shangri-
La in the Catoctin Mountains, between
Hagerstown and Fredrick?”
“Well, Thurmont actually, but yep.” He nodded
against her hair. “Right off Route 77.
And I know it’s there, too. I’ve looked
before, but have never found it.”
Suddenly, something about this story sounded
familiar, and Scully wished she were
awake enough to think straight.
“Anyway…” Mulder yawned. “Shangri-La became
a very important place, and leaders
from all around the world came to discuss world
matters and world peace.” He
whispered, “Tomorrow, Scully, I know we’ll find
it, and most likely get arrested. Good
night.”
“Arrested?” She was confused.
Mulder yawned again, and gently rubbed her
back. “I hope so. Roosevelt named it
Shangri-La, but Eisenhower re-named it Camp
David after his grandson. It’s off limits,
but I’ve *always* wanted to find it. And if we
do, we’ll get arrested.” He closed his eyes.
“I can’t wait.” Soon he was snoring softly.
Scully snuggled back down into his arms, and
whispered to her sleeping partner, “In
what other life could I meet a man who finds
Atlantis, and then goes out searching for
Shangri-La?”
No other life, she decided.
END
Virtual Season X 