Glaube Ist Liebe (Faith Is Love)

by xphilernj
feedback: [email protected]

Brevity II Challenge Response to Piper's Elements: a Milagro charm, =
confetti,
oleander, St. Christopher, good vs. evil

This is dedicated to my dearest friend Fibbie and sweet Sallie.

*Faith is love taking the form of aspiration*   
                                                  William Ellery =
Channing

* * * * * * *

Her apartment was gloomy and dark with the exception of the soft =
afternoon
light filtering through the window blinds.  She eased herself down into =
the
comfort and safe haven of her couch, stretched her legs out across the =
cushions
and sighed .  She hadn't felt like doing much of anything, much less =
smile.

She suspected Mulder was worried about her.  The obvious antics in the =
office
were engineered and designed especially with her in mind.  Some barely
noticeable and others downright obvious.  But no matter what Mulder did, =
even he
couldn't pull a hint of a smile from her lips.

She withdrew the Milagro charm from her jacket pocket, turned it over in =
her
hand and rubbed the cool metal between her fingers.  It'd been almost a =
week
since they had wrapped up the Padgett case.  She had tried to put it =
behind
her, bury it deep in the back of her mind, but failed miserably.

Bewildered, she wondered how the small trinket could represent beauty,
goodness, light and yet, provoke such ugliness, evil and darkness within =
ones being.
A contradiction that vexed her soul.  How could such conflicting =
emotions
survive for so long in one human being without destroying themselves and =
those
they come in contact with from day to day?

The shrill ring of the phone caused her to jerk, breaking her from the
disturbing reverie.  She leaned over and picked up the receiver with a =
trembling
hand.

"Scully."

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey me.  Mulder, where are you?"

"I'm at the park down the street from your place.  Why don't you change =
and
join me?"

"Mulder, what's going on?  I'm not in the mood..."

"Come on, Scully.  It's a beautiful day.  Ask your mom if you can come =
out to
play."

"Mulder.."

"Please."

"I'll be there in about 15 minutes."

"Scully?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Mulder."

She stepped out into the bright sunlight, a slight breeze ruffled her =
hair as
she started slowly walking down the sidewalk.  It *was* a beautiful warm =
day
to take a walk in the park.  Along the way she heard the birds sing, =
children
playing tag in their backyard and voices of joyful reunions.  She saw =
bees
buzzing around rose bushes, the wind dance around the oleander, =
scattering the
white blossoms like confetti across the sidewalk, and the squirrels =
running up
and down an old oak tree, gathering their winter harvest.

When she entered the park she heard the gleeful sound of children =
playing
kickball.  As she drew closer, she saw Mulder laughing amongst the =
little ones
who were trying to wrestle him to the ground.  All of a sudden the dam =
of grief,
sadness and heartache broke and she started laughing.  Tears fell down =
her
face as she sank to the ground beneath a maple tree and continued to =
laugh.

She saw him look up at the sound of her laughter.  He whispered to the
children, started toward her with a smile that lit up his face.  He =
settled on the
ground next to her and ran a finger down her damp cheek as she looked =
into his
eyes.

"It looks good on you."

She leaned her face into his palm and gave him a questioning look.

"That smile and the laughter.  It's good to see and hear again.  I miss =
it.
Miss you."  He leaned down and gently brushed her lips.

"I'm sorry.  I know I haven't been a very pleasant person to be around
lately.  I've missed you too and me."

"What's been going on Scully?  Please, talk to me."

"I guess I kind of lost my way for a little while.  But, I think I'm =
back.
Because of you.  Always because of you I can find my way back."

She reached in her pocket, pulled out the Milagro charm and rolled it =
between
her fingers.

Mulder gently took the small medallion from her grasp and tossed it =
away.  He
slid his hand into his pocket, withdrew a small metal disk and placed it =
in
the palm of her hand.  He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Mulder, a Saint Christopher medallion?  Why?  I don't understand?"

He glanced down at the charm in her hand, folded her fingers over her =
palm,
lifted it to his lips and gazed into her eyes.

"I know you've been under a lot of stress from our last case.  I could =
see
you trying to distance yourself and bury it, but I felt as though you =
were
burying me too. "

He ran his thumb across her lips to silence her objection and shook his =
head.

"I know you feel as though you have to deal with it all by yourself.
Otherwise, you think you'll seem weak and needy, but Scully, I see you =
as anything
but frail and insecure.  You're one of the strongest people I know and =
so damned
independent it makes me crazy.  Scully, everybody needs someone at some =
time
in their life to talk to.  Someone they're not afraid to share their =
feelings
and emotions with.  I should know because you've been my rock and my =
strength
for as long as I can remember."  He paused for a moment and opened her =
hand.

"That is why I'm giving you this medallion.  Anytime you feel you need
someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on or just scream at, just take =
this out and
think of me.  I want to be the one you call on, to lean on, to cry to no =
matter
when or where.  I've always needed you.  I've always had the faith of =
your
beliefs.  Now, I want you to need me.  I want to be that rock you cling =
to and
the light that draws you back when you feel alone and lost.  To have =
faith in
me, because... I love you Scully."  Mulder closed his eyes, took a deep =
breath
and released it slowly afraid to open his eyes.

She reached up and cradled his face with strong hands and placed =
feathery
kisses across his face.  She gave him a big smile when he finally opened =
his eyes.

"Thank you," she whispers.  "I love you, Mulder.  Love you...." she said =
as
she kissed him.  "...so much."

He gathered her up into his arms and deepened the kiss.

They settled under the old maple tree, listened to the birds sing and =
the
laughter of children playing.  Listened as two hearts began to beat... =
as one.

* * * * * * *

~finis~