TITLE: The Last Kiss

AUTHOR: Annette Gisby

EMAIL: annette.gisby@which.net

CATEGORY: MSR, Vignette

FEEDBACK: yes please!

ARCHIVE: Yes, just keep my name and email attached.

"If this is the last kiss

Let's make it last all night."

Meat Loaf

THE LAST KISS (1/1)

I'm shaking. I'm actually shaking with the force of my rage. They

can't do this. They just can't. But my rage is futile. They can

and they will. They are splitting us up. The X-files are to be

closed, no chance of re-instatement. Mulder and I are to be

assigned to different sections. Mulder is to go back to violent

crimes and I am stuck teaching at Quantico.

We are not to associate with each other. It's felt we are too

*close* and it was affecting our work. It's rubbish and Skinner

knows it. This is just an excuse to get rid of us without having

to pay severance money. I know Mulder won't stay if he's no

longer partnered with me, and I'm having doubts myself.

We only trusted each other, how could we work with anyone else?

I know that our re-assignments have nothing to do with Skinner.

It comes from higher up. From the nameless, faceless *THEM* who

are out to destroy us. Am I sounding a bit paranoid? Maybe,

but I know this is down to *THEM*. Is it paranoia when it's the

truth?

And you want to know the worst bit? *THEY* think we've been

involved romantically since our very first case. God, what

a waste. We could have had six years, but now we'll not even

have six days. We were never involved, not like that. Oh, I

know we thought about it. A lot.

The nearest we came to it was an aborted kiss in Mulder's hallway.

But it isn't because *THEY* think we are lovers that they want

to split us up. No, it's because we've finally gotten too close

to the truth that we've spent six years chasing, and they can't

have that, can they?

"You're going to leave, aren't you?" I ask Mulder as I try and

gather up some of my belongings. There is a stone lodged in my

chest. I can't cope with this, I can't. Never to see him again.

Never to hear him joke about our latest case. Never see him

eating those sunflower seeds that get into everything.

I feel the tears threaten and I turn away. I don't want him to

see me crying. I want to be strong. Strong, dependable Scully.

That's me, isn't it? So why do I feel I want to curl up in

a corner and bawl my eyes out?

I feel Mulder's hand on my shoulder and I can't hold back

any longer. I turn and sob against his chest, my fingers

tightening around his suit jacket, as thought by holding onto

his clothes I can hold onto him. But it's no use. He's

as elusive as a grain of sand trickling through my fingers.

"Ssh, Scully, it's okay," he whispers as his hands smooth over

my hair. My heart aches. No, it's my soul that's aching. Half

of my soul is being torn away from me and I know I'll never

recover. How can I recover when half of me is missing?

"Don't go, Mulder," I plead between sobs.

"I have to, Scully. You know that."

I know it and the knowledge sticks in my throat.

It makes sense for us to part. We're probably still being watched.

Mulder doesn't want to put me in danger. But I don't care. I want

to have him. Just once. Surely no-one could begrudge me that?

I reach up on tip-toes and kiss his cheek. There's wetness there,

he's been crying too. I turn my head and kiss him full on the mouth.

He deepens the kiss and I reach my arms around his waist, pinning

him to me. I don't want to let go. I never want to let go. We could

have had six years of this, why did we wait so long?

I feel Mulder harden against me and he pushes me away.

"We can't, Scully. We can't."

"Mulder, please! If I can't have you forever, let me have you

tonight. I know you have to go, but please, don't deny me

this. I know you want to."

"Of course I want to! That isn't the point. Do you want to

get us killed?"

"I'd die for you, Mulder. I know you'd do the same for me."

He stares at me for a long time, his hands on his hips, as

though he's about to reprimand me for some misdemeanour.

I feel his gaze on my face and then it travels downwards.

He caresses the whole of my body with his eyes and I feel

myself flush with desire. His eyes are a combination of green

and grey and I want to drown in those depths.

"Okay," he finally agrees, his voice husky. "But not here. I'll

go to your apartment after work."

I nod, hoping I can hold out that long.

I'm hoping something else as well. I'm hoping that wasn't our

last kiss.

I'm hoping it was the first.

END