Title: A "Ghost" Story
Author: Cnsprcygrl
Written: August 2000
Rating: PG-13ish. Some use of unnecessary profanity. :)
Disclaimer: Sorry, I kind of used characters that aren't mine and since I said it, you can't sue me. Haha.
Keywords: M/S romance
Spoilers: Requiem, Closure and there's a few more but they're old episodes so if you haven't seen them then, uh...sucks for you.

Author's note: Okay, when you start reading this, you might sort of recognize a familiar plot line if you've seen a certain movie. You'll probably start to pick it up a little while into the story. Enjoy.

Ever since Mulder disappeared, Scully seemed distant. She had almost taken up the role for Mulder, believing in the unbelievable and constantly trying to explain the unexplained. It was all an illusion, though. It was her way of trying to get past this particularly hard point in her life. She had a dimming hope that he would return to her someday but she felt that her quest to find the truth about what happened to her partner would end in the same way his did. Mulder's sister had died, and she guessed that Mulder followed in her footsteps. She had a tombstone made for him and placed it at the cemetery. It helped her get through the truly difficult times, because she felt she could go talk to him. Or his spirit.

She shook her head to erase the thought from her mind. He wasn't dead. She *would* find him. It was only a matter of time. Time that seemed to pass so slowly that she could hardly keep herself from going completely crazy. It was *time* to get to work on this gigantic stack of paperwork that she had blatantly ignored for the past three days. She pulled out a pen and started filling in the blank spaces.

Mulder stood up, dazed. Everything was fuzzy and his mind was whirling. After a few seconds, his vision cleared and he looked around. He didn't know where he was or how he got there. He looked at his watch. It was stopped. I've got to find Scully, he told himself. Slowly, he walked over to a young man waiting at the bus stop.

"Excuse me, do you know what time it is?" Mulder asked him. The man paid no mind. "Sir?" Mulder asked. No response. Mulder whirled around and asked five other people the same question. They all completely ignored him as if he weren't even there. He sighed, a little confused. Suddenly, he saw a short, red-haired woman making her way across the street, towards the cemetery.

"Scully!!" he shouted, running after her. She stopped at a headstone and placed flowers on the ground next to it. Mulder ran up behind her. "Scully," he repeated. She didn't look up. "Hey Mulder," she said, quietly.

Mulder wasn't quite sure why she wasn't more excited to see him. Maybe he wasn't gone long enough for her to worry about him, but he felt a chill go down his back. He followed his partner's sad gaze. His eyes widened in horror as he read the headstone. It had his name on it. Frantically, he looked up at her. "Scully!! I'm right here!! Scully! I'm not dead, Scully!!" Getting no response from her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. He jumped back as he saw his hand go right through her.

"Mulder, I have to tell you something," she said quietly, "I didn't want to tell you until I knew everything." She started to cry and paused before continuing, "Mulder, I found out a little while ago that I'm pregnant. I don't know how it's possible but I am. And the blood tests came back yesterday, saying that you're the father. Mulder, I don't think I want to go through this alone. Please come back to me." Scully turned around and left, leaving Mulder staring blankly into space. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Why was this happening to him? He wanted so badly to be there with her, help her through everything. But he couldn't. He looked up to watch her turn a corner and then she was gone. This *has* to be a dream, he told himself.

Suddenly, he saw a young girl running towards him. "Fox!!" she yelled with excitement. When she got closer, he realized that it was his sister, Samantha. She slammed into him and gave him a big hug.

He smiled slightly, "Samantha? You can see me?"

"Of course I can, silly," she answered.

"How--how is that possible?" he stammered.

"Fox, of course we can see you! What did you expect?" She retorted with a spoiled-girl sneer in her voice.

"Who's 'we'?" he inquired, completely astounded by his situation.

A man, who was standing behind Mulder, spoke. "We can."

Mulder spun around and squinted at him. "Pendrell?"

Agent Pendrell smiled. "Yeah. We can see you. Us. The ghosts. The dead people. Well, the ones that are caught between worlds anyway."

"I don't believe this," Mulder said, putting his fingers on his forehead. He wasn't sure if he was happy or upset about everything. Maybe he was both. But, he wasn't sure it was a reality either.

"You better believe it, Mulder. You've got some kind of unfinished business. We all do. Most of us don't know what it is, so we don't know how to fix it," Pendrell said.

"So if you finish your supposedly unfinished business, you go to heaven?" Mulder asked. Pendrell nodded.

"Or hell," Samantha added. Pendrell and Samantha both glanced at something, then disappeared into thin air. Mulder turned to see what they were looking at. CGB Spender, along with a friend, strolled past him. (Of course he's not dead! What were you thinking?? Hehe) They stopped at Mulder's tombstone. Mulder watched them, circling around them.

"How does she know he's dead?" the other man asked.

"She doesn't," CGB lit a cigarette.

"But she thinks he is?" the man replied.

"Yes," the puff of smoke answered, "she has a strong belief that he is. That's an obvious assumption based on the fact that she's the one who put this headstone here."

"And she's carrying his child." "I think we ought to put her out of her misery, don't you think, George?" CGB questioned, "It wouldn't be fair for the child to grow up without a father."

The other man nodded, then both men walked away. Mulder followed, "No! No...not Scully, please...." But his pleas were in vain.

The men parted and Mulder decided to follow the man that was with CGB. He figured this would be the guy to do the dirty work. He was right. George led right to Scully's apartment. He jiggled the doorknob and finding it unlocked, he went inside and quietly closed the door. Mulder knew he had to protect Scully. He slowly put his hand through the door, even though it took him a minute to realize that he could. Then gathered up his courage and walked through. He watched the man go towards the bathroom and Mulder heard the shower running.

Mulder ran over to the man. "You bastard! You stay away from her!!!" he yelled as he started punching him. His fists went right through George's head. Damn, this is going to be difficult, Mulder said to himself as he heard the shower stop, and he looked at the bathroom door as the man crept closer to it. Mulder turned back to him and threw one more punch. This time, there was contact. George sprawled backwards, looking around frantically for the perpetrator. He scrambled to his feet and ran out of the apartment.

Scully opened the door and stuck her head out. "Hello? Who's there?" she called out to an empty apartment. Mulder ran out into the hallway and watched the man run away.

"Yeah, you better run, you asshole!!" Mulder yelled at the top of his lungs. He turned to the wall and put his hand through it. "How the hell did I punch that guy?" he asked his hand.

A woman in the apartment across from Scully opened the door, yelling, "Keep it down out here!!" She looked around and saw no one, then started to slowly close the door. "Heh. What the hell was that about?" Mulder said, walking down the aisle. "Who said that?!?!" the woman stepped out into the hall.

Mulder stopped and turned to her. "You can hear me?" "Yeah, I can hear you. Where the hell are you?" she responded, a bit baffled. "I'm right here, I'm right in front of you," he answered. She looked around. "No you're not?" It was more a question than a statement.

"I don't think you can see me but you can hear me," Mulder said, happy that someone "earthly" could hear him.

"Why can't I see you? Where are you?" She asked, flailing her limbs about. Maybe if I accidentally smack him, he'll appear, she thought subconsciously.

"I'm right here. I--I'm a ghost, that's why you can't see me," he poked her shoulder and watched his hand slide through her. "And you can't feel me either. But I don't know why you can hear me. No one else can."

"No. Hu-uh. I'm dreaming. Good night, I'm going back to reality now," she opened her door to go back inside.

"No, you've got to help me. I have to talk to my friend but she can't hear me..."

"Then go talk to her yourself, I'm not gonna be a part of this," she shouted.

Scully opened her door and looked outside at the woman. "Miss? Are you okay?" She looked around, "Who are you talking to?"

"That's her!" Mulder exclaimed, "That's Dana Scully...my name is Fox Mulder. Mulder. Tell her you're talking to Mulder."

"I ain't talking to anybody," she said, covering her ears. Scully watched her, confused. "No! Please. You're talking to Mulder. Fox Mulder. Tell her!! You're talking to Fox Mulder!!! FOX MULDER!!" He screamed.

"Fox Mulder! Fox Mulder, I'm talking to Fox Mulder!! There, ya happy?!?!" she yelled out to the nothingness that was screaming at her.

Scully stood breathless watching the woman. "What did you say?" Scully whispered, stepping out into the hall and closing her robe a bit.

"Fox Mulder. Who the hell is Fox Mulder?!?!" she shouted.

"Where is he?" Scully demanded.

"I don't know, I can't see him," the woman answered.

"Why not?" Hey, now all three of them were confused.

"Because he's a ghost or some shit. I don't know...that's what he told me earlier. I can't feel him or see him because he's a ghost but he doesn't know why I can hear him," she mocked his voice. "He wants me to talk to you because you can't hear him."

Scully stared at her for a moment. "I don't believe you," she said, opening her door to retreat to her apartment.

"Tell her that I knew she wouldn't. It's not like Dana Scully to believe something like this without proof," Mulder said, a little too quickly to comprehend.

"No! Leave me alone!" the woman shouted.

"Tell her!!" Mulder insisted, and repeated his line slowly.

"Dana, Fox said that he knew you wouldn't believe it because you wouldn't believe in something like this without proof," she said, more than slightly annoyed.

Scully turned to face her again, hiding(but not well) her anger. "What's your name?"

"Shayna Borin," she answered "I don't believe you because you didn't even get the names right. <pause> He wouldn't call me Dana and he wouldn't call himself 'Fox'," she somehow got the sentence out even though it was through gritted teeth.

"Her name is Scully. Call her Scully. And call me Mulder," Mulder said quickly.

"He said your name is Scully and his name is Mulder," Shayna repeated to Scully.

Scully shook her head, went back into her apartment and slammed the door.

"Knock on the door, I need to talk to her," Mulder pleaded.

"No. Look, I think I'm just going crazy, okay? I don't want to be a part of this! Leave me alone." Shayna shouted, going back into her own apartment. Mulder jumped through the door and followed her. This is going through walls stuff is getting to be kinda fun, he mused before turning back to the task at hand.

"Please. She's in danger; I have to help her. Please, I'm begging you," he said.

"Get the hell out of my apartment!" She panted, "I don't care if she's in danger, I don't care if you're real and if you are, I want you out of here now!!"

"Fine..." Mulder sighed and sadly left the apartment. He went and checked on Scully, then went outside. He walked slowly down the sidewalk, unsure of what to do next. He didn't feel tired or hungry. And why should he? But he did feel sick. Because he couldn't talk to the one person that he loved the most and the only way to get through to her was with someone who didn't want to be bothered. He wandered down to the park and sat on the bench, trying to pick up a piece of paper. He couldn't do it but he still couldn't figure out how he was able to punch the man in Scully's apartment.

"Forget it," a familiar voice said. Mulder looked up. "Dad?" He whispered when he saw the man's face. "You won't be able to do it," William Mulder continued. "I have to," Mulder said, still trying to pick the paper up. "You can't. What are you trying to accomplish by doing it anyway?" His father pursued. "I punched a guy earlier and if I could punch him, then maybe I can pick the paper up and if I can pick up the paper, I might be able to pick up a pen and if I can pick up a pen, I'd be able to write," Mulder said, sticking his tongue out one side in determination. "So what?" he asked. Mulder looked up. "I have to talk to Scully," he said, then looked back down at the paper.

"Why? She already thinks you're dead. Why would you want to scare her?" Mulder sighed. "There's more to it than that. And I need to tell her I'm sorry," he said. "For what? Its not you're fault that you're dead." Getting frustrated, Mulder pushed the paper away, "Because I love her!" Mulder watched the piece of paper flutter to the ground. Still in the same mood, Mulder dove to the ground next to the paper and flicked it. It moved away as if Mulder were alive. But he couldn't pick it up. It took to much concentration to keep the same state of mind. He looked up at his dad. "I can do small, instantaneous things but I can't do anything for more than a few seconds," he said, talking more to himself than his dad.

"If you love her, then leave her alone," William Mulder warned. Mulder looked away and when he looked back, his father was gone. Now I gotta figure out how to disappear like that, Mulder told himself with a slight chuckle.

He stood up and went back to Scully's apartment, but stood in front of the door of the woman across from Scully's apartment. He gathered his emotions and banged on the door. Shayna opened it and looked around, seeing no one.

"I'm back," Mulder said. Shayna jumped and put a hand over her chest.

"Jesus, you scared me," she said. "I thought I told you to leave me alone!"

"Sorry, I can't do that. I need to talk to Scully and you're going to help me," Mulder said, letting himself into her apartment. "Like hell I am," she said, "you can't make me do anything." Mulder cleared his throat, then broke into song, "Joooooooohn Jacob, Jingleheimer Smith! Thaaaaaaat's my name, too. Whenever we go out, we hear the people shout "there goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith!" Jooooooohn Jacob Jingleheimer Smith! That's my name too..." "No!! No...no no no no no no no no!!" Shayna shrieked, slamming the door and sitting on the couch. Mulder followed her in, and continued to sing the chorus over and over and over... He was rather enjoying it, too.

After an hour or so of Mulder's horrible, incessant singing, she finally agreed to do what he asked.

"I need to go to a jewelry store," he said. "So go then," she answered sarcastically. "Well, I need you to buy something for me," Mulder replied. "Fine, as long as its not too expensive," she sighed. "No, it could even be plastic or something, I just need her to know what it is," he said.

They went to ten stores and finally Mulder found what he was looking for. Then they came back. "We have to go talk to her," Mulder said. "She's not going to believe the story, Mulder, Fox, whatever your name is."

"Mulder. No, you're probably right but we have to try," he said. They made their way across the hall and she knocked on Scully's door. Scully answered it. "Can I help you?" she asked, a little annoyed. "Mulder wants to talk to you," Shayna said. Scully sighed and closed the door. "Tell her that I know," Mulder told Shayna. "Scully, um...Mulder says that he 'knows'," Shayna said to Scully's closed door. She paused. "You know what, Mulder?" Shayna asked to the air next to her. "Tell her that I was there at the cemetery earlier," he replied. "He says that he was at the cemetery earlier today," she told Scully. Scully didn't say anything. Mulder whispered something to Shayna and she paused listening to Mulder, then said to Scully, "Mulder wants to say that he's sorry for not being able to be there and he thinks that you should name the baby...Emily? if it's a girl." Slowly, Scully's door opened and her eyes met Shayna's. "How do I know you're not making this up?" "I guess you don't," she spat.

Scully closed the door. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

Mulder sighed. "Tell her she's in trouble," he said to Shayna. "Tell her that the cancer man is sending someone to kill her and that he was there in the apartment this morning while she was in the shower." Shayna repeated his words. Scully spoke from just inside the door, "I don't believe you. Leave me alone." "Look, how in the hell would I know all this stuff?!?!" Shayna offered. She paused and when Scully didn't respond, she continued, "Okay, he dragged me to a hundred different stores today to find this for you and he wants to give it to you now."

Mulder walked into Scully's apartment and told Shayna to slip it under the door. Scully was sitting on the couch, staring at the door when Shayna did it. Mulder took a deep breath. He looked at Scully and bent down to pick it up. Surprisingly, he could do it. He had all the right emotions. Love for her. Hate for-well, everything except her and the baby. Confusion about what had happened to him. Anger for the person-or thing that did this to him and for the Cancer Man and for the man who tried to kill Scully. Sadness because he couldn't be there for the woman he loved. Happiness because she still loved him no matter what and was carrying his child. But most of all, hope. He didn't know exactly what the hope was there for, but he had it and he didn't question it. Mulder undid the clasp and walked over to Scully, careful not to take his eyes off of her. If he kept looking at her, he kept the right emotions and he could continue to hold the necklace.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the cold cross twinkle in the dim light. It came closer and closer, floating in mid air. Scully closed her eyes as Mulder buckled it around her neck. She could feel his presence, smell his skin, hear his breathing. He watched her, tears streaming down his face as well and he gave her a light kiss on the forehead. She released the breath that she didn't even know she was holding, opened her eyes and got up to open the door. Shayna was still standing outside, smiling.

Suddenly, Mulder got a chill. "They're coming," he said.

Shayna looked around. "What? Who's coming?" "The cancer man and the other guy from earlier today. They're coming back. You guys have got to get out of here," Mulder sounded panicked. Shayna told Scully. Then, CGB and the other man started walking down the hall, the other man dragging something behind him. Scully saw what it was and stared at it, not moving. Then Mulder saw it and looked away. It was his own body.

Scully looked up at CGB. "What did you do to him?!?!" she cried with pure and utter hatred. "Its not what we did to him," CGB said, "but what we're going to do with him now." She stared at him in question. "He's dead, Dana, but I have the power to change that," he continued, lighting a cigarette. CGB nodded and the other man pulled out what looked like a stun gun.

"Why would you do that? I thought you'd want him dead. What are you expecting in exchange?" Scully took on Mulder's usual paranoid side. "Now, now. Just because I'm a cold-blooded killer, doesn't mean I don't have a heart," CGB chuckled. Scully frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Your heart is black as the lungs that have been inhaling smoke for so many years. What's the catch? What do you want?" "Nothing. Mulder is an important part of the game, Dana. We all want him back just as much as you do." "Don't believe him, Scully," Mulder warned.

Shayna whispered what he said to Scully. Scully's eyes wandered back to the cancer man. "Okay, so prove it. Bring him back to life." CGB looked at the other man and nodded. The man stuck the stun gun into Mulder's side and pushed a button. Mulder's whole body arced above the ground as he drew in a huge gulp of air and started coughing. Scully pulled out her gun and pointed at CGB. He put his hands up in the air when his eyes saw the weapon trained at his head. "Okay. Here's the second part of the test. You said you didn't want anything in return so get the hell out of here," Scully said through gritted teeth. The two men exchanged glances and left.

Scully put her gun away and ran over to Mulder. She held up his head and started to cry as he continued to gulp in air. She whispered comforting words to him as he desperately hung onto life. He finally caught his breath and went limp in her arms. She stroked his hair and continued to whisper words of comfort. A while later, he opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"I love you, Scully," he choked out. "I'm so sorry." She smiled through her tears and shook her head. He scooted up and put his hand on her stomach and rested his head down next to his hand. She closed her eyes and continued to stroke his hair.

"I won't leave you two again, okay? I promise," he whispered.

Shayna walked up to them and smiled. They both looked up at her and thanked her. "Good bye, Fox," she said. She then disappeared right before their eyes.

Mulder squinted. "She must be our guardian angel," he said, surprised that he wasn't surprised.

Scully smiled. "I think Shayna's yours, but I think *you're* mine." He closed his eyes and hugged her. And they lived happily ever after. (we just wouldn't have it any other way)

Fin. (did anyone pick up on the story line? If you didn't- it was supposed to be from the movie"Ghost". Which, by the way, I don't own the rights to, either! Hehe) Okay, guys. On the whole feedback thing: I want it! Lots of it!! ::puts on Mulderism voice:: Bring it on. I want meaningful email-not the usual crap I get about ranking my penis size, which is completely non-fitting *especially* because I am a woman. I just want email because I am a pathetic soul who loves X-Files. Thank you, come again.

"Eff...Bee...Eye..." ~Eddie VanBlundHt aka Mulder