Valentine Hearts
By Lovesfox

J. Edgar Hoover Building
February 14, 2001

Scully exited AD Skinner's outer office after a last, faint good-bye 
to his assistant, and headed down the hallway towards the elevator.  
The heels of her pumps clicked noisily along the tiled floor, and as 
she walked, she mostly kept her gaze focused on them.  This way she 
would not have to meet the eyes of the other agents and employees of 
the Hoover Building, would not have to see their looks of pity and 
curiosity.

Nor would she have to look at the woman wearing red sweaters or 
blouses, or the men with red ties, in honor of Valentine's Day.

If it had been at all possible, and the mid-morning meeting with 
Skinner had definitely made it impossible, she would have taken the 
day off to stay at home and hide until it was over.

She had reached the elevator at this point, and just as she was about
to press the call button, another hand, large and darker-skinned, 
with blunt fingertips, reached passed her and beat her to it.  A 
man's hand.  For just a split second she thought it was Mulder, and 
her heart started to race.  Then she remembered that there was no way
it could be him, for he was still missing, and willed herself to calm
down.

She shot a glance to the side, through lowered lids, but could only 
make out that the person standing beside her wore a navy blue suit 
and black wing-tipped shoes.  She could also see that he was rocking
slightly on his feet as they waited for the elevator to arrive.

It did then, and once the people exiting had done so, the navy-clad 
arm moved to hold the doors open for her, skimming past her shoulder 
with the lightest of touches.  Scully started a little, and then 
briefly lifted her head, scanning his features.  She noted that she 
did not recognize him at all, and politely said, "Thank-you," before 
lowering her head once more to study her toes.

Her scan, while brief, had not missed much.  He was tall, with dark 
chestnut hair and an oversized slightly crooked nose.  Like Mulder.  
At the thought, her breath hitched, and she almost gasped aloud.  

Fortunately the man chose that moment to speak, and his voice drowned
out the sound of her gasp.  "You're welcome," he said, and even his 
voice reminded her of Mulder.  

Dear God, what was the matter with her?

She brought her hands together intending to clutch them tightly until
the elevator ride was over, and heard a crumpling sound.  Lifting her
eyes from her shoes, she saw that she was still holding the candy 
package Kimberley had smilingly pressed upon her after her meeting 
with Skinner.  She could still hear the woman chirping with sickening
happiness, "Happy Valentine's Day, Agent Scully."  While behind her 
on the credenza had sat a vase filled with a dozen red roses.  Scully
shuddered and banished the image, blinking back the tears that had 
formed in her eyes.  

Stupid hormones.  She was angry one minute and crying the very next. 
The mood swings were difficult on her, not to mention the never-
ending nausea and the sleepless nights thinking and worrying about 
Mulder.

Stop, she told herself fiercely.  Stop thinking about him.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned the package over to see ex-
actly what it was Kimberley had given her, for she hadn't yet looked 
at them.  The plastic wrapper was red, and she could just make out 
the words 'Valentine Hearts Candy' written on one side.

Her first instinct was to toss the candy into the nearest garbage 
can, but a sudden memory, of giggling with Melissa as they looked for
ones that said 'hug me' and 'love you' to give to Ahab, had her hand 
closing tightly and protectively over them.

She was barely aware of the elevator stopping at the main floor, or 
of the navy blue-suited man exiting.  No one else came on, and her 
trip to the basement was made alone, as it had been for so many 
months now.

The door dinged as it opened into the basement, and she walked out, 
once again listening to the clicking of her heels, slightly muted on 
the cement of the floor, heading towards the basement office she tem-
porarily shared with Agent John Doggett.  She hesitated for just a 
moment before entering the partially opened door, and barely managed 
to contain a sigh of relief when she saw that it was empty.

Crossing the floor, she sat down on the leather chair at her desk.  
The desk she was only borrowing from Mulder until he returned. She 
did not lean back into the chair, but sat ramrod-straight, her hands,
one still holding the candy, resting on the blotter.  She stared at 
the candy for the longest time before finally carefully tearing the 
package open.

She poured the candy out, watching as the pastel colored, heart-
shaped candies fell onto the desk.  It was not a large bag, merely a 
treat-sized one, and only contained eight of little sugar confec-
tions.  All but one had landed with the words right side up.

Scully stared at the lone candy, noting how it was slightly apart 
from all the others, as if it did not belong, before moving one 
shaking hand to turn the little heart over.  She brought it slowly up
to her face, and the words written on it struck a pang in her heart.

Miss you.

She released the breath she had not been aware she was holding in a 
shuddering sigh, and then leaning over, slowly opened one of the desk
drawers.  She stayed that way for a bit, now staring at the only item
in the drawer.

Mulder's desk plate.

With one last sigh she gently placed the little pastel heart in the 
drawer next to the desk plate, and whispered, "Happy Valentine's Day,
Mulder."

The drawer slid silently shut.


The end