Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

February 2016 - Adams Inn - Philadelphia

“Bill, Bill!” Cathy cried out loud to her husband while rushing into the living-room.

“What again?” Bill replied.

“They’re here, in Philly! After all these years! Still alive, still together, still handsome, still the hottest of the hottest… Well, I’d even say, even more handsome and even hotter, if that’s possible!”

“What are you talking about?”

“They were going to a crime scene, just passing by the inn, so they stopped for a minute to say hello. Well, also to see if their usual rooms were available, in case they would have to stay in Philly. They don’t know yet, but I hope they indeed need to spend a few days here for their investigation. And that was so cute of them to ask in person, they could have so easily phoned instead.”

“But who are you talking about?”  

“The handsome/hottest/tall and small/FBI Agents couple!”

“Who?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!”

“The FBI Agents we had two months ago?”

“No, these ones were two guys.”

“And?”

“Well, they were no handsome couple.”

“At least they were a couple, and FBI Agents.”

“Handsome, I tell you! And hot!”

“Ah, I see. The FBI Agents we had about four years ago, coming from the L.A. office. Damn, they were movie stars, these two. The woman… I perfectly recall her damn sensual body… uh…. her beautiful face, I wanna say.”

“No, no… I agree they were very handsome and quite sexy , especially the woman. The guy, though... he had a weird thing in his gestures and in his eyes, and he wasn’t really my type… Anyway, they weren’t a couple !”

“Ah? How could you say?”

“I just know.”

“And these two are?”

“Oh yeah… Definitely.”

“Their wedding rings are nice?”

“No… They don’t have any.”

“They’re taking one double room?”

“No, never. You know, the FBI rules.”

“Ah, I see... You’ve caught them red-handed.”

“No! They know how to behave when they’re on duty.”

“How the hell do you know they’re a couple , then?”

“It’s just pouring out of them. The way they gaze at each other, the way they talk to each other, their gestures toward each other... Well, no need to be a medium. Though, this time, there’s something odd between them that I’ve immediately noticed. I hope they’ll soon figure that out. I cannot think of them being no more a couple. I’d be heartbroken. They’re such a so long-lasting nice couple…”

“How long?”

“Oh my! That would make… Let me do the maths… It’s just when we began to manage the inn… so…”

“ 25 years?!!”

“Time flies...”

“Hell, that’s a long commitment. I’m really impressed. What’s their secret, I wonder.”

“Bill?! What about us?”

“Oh yeah, of course. You know, we ain’t FBI Agents. And we ain’t the hottest. We’re just small potatoes.”

“Don’t say that, Bill, it’s nonsense. You know you’re my handsomest forever, honey. Anyway… I recall as if it were yesterday, first time I saw them. They were so young. He was so tall compared...”

“I get it! The tall and small FBI Agents!”

“Bill, don’t you ever listen to me? I’m telling you, you wouldn’t be a good witness for these FBI Agents…”

“I remember, now. The small pretty FBI Agent, redhead. Damn, she can question me anytime about anything, I’d be glad to oblige…”

“Her name is Dana Scully, and his, Fox Mulder. The man’s so handsome. So gentle with her. And his height! He’s so tall compared to her! He has to bend over her head, when he wants to privately talk to her. He’d done that, the first time I saw them…”

September 1993  

When Mulder and Scully entered the lobby of the Adams Inn, their hands full of luggage and files, Cathy Gold was busy at the reception desk, focused on the many sheets and worksheets she had to fill and sort. Green in this job and still uneasy with all the paperworks, her mood was worsening as quickly as the sun was setting.   

A sudden pure genuine burst of laughter made Cathy raise her head from her boring task. It’s all it took to make her enter a new dimension. 

The man and the woman who had just entered the lobby were standing at its center, facing each other, both displaying a wide smile on their juvenile faces. The small red-haired woman was still having slight flutters going through her upper body, remnants of her laugh, when she made a movement with her right hand --surely wanting to readjust a brand of hair that was dangling too freely-- but, oblivious of the precarious handling of her packs, she let loose files full of papers as well as a high-pitched ‘Oh!’. In reaction, the tall black-haired man gently grabbed her arm, bent over the left side of her head, and mumbled something into her ear. Her petite partner gave him a nod in response, traded her leather satchel for his jacket laying on his shoulder, then stepped away from the spread out sheets of paper surrounding them. 

The time the small woman reached the check-in counter while the tall man was taking care of the mess of their files on the floor, Cathy had already completely forgotten her own cluttered desk. 

“Welcome to the Adams Inn!” Cathy said cheerfully. “Do you need some help?”

“No, thanks. My partner had a lack of physical activities today, he’s happy to do a few squats,” the woman replied wittily. “We’re Special Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder with the FBI. You might have received our reservation. Two single rooms. Adjacent rooms, if possible.”

“Oh, the FBI! Of course… Let me see what I have prepared for you,” Cathy said. 

Never would Cathy have guessed these two were the FBI Agents she was waiting for. Was the Bureau recruiting directly at the gates of high-schools? Though, now that she was observing their features, she could say they seem to be all business and up to the standards of the FBI, with a subtle touch of relaxedness for the man --loosened tie, rolled-up sleeves, plus a nonchalant way to move his long limbs. 

And, as if it wasn’t enough to bear, both of them were handsome, if not simply gorgeous. 

Cathy quickly made up her mind. There was something about this couple of FBI Agents that was obviously unique and indescribable, and she had to take action. She changed the choice of the rooms she had planned before their arrival, putting them in a quieter part of the inn, and closer to her own headquarters. She then would be able to have an eye on them more easily. Moreover, two connecting rooms were available there. Perfect for them, if they wanted to act more familiarly than what had been already displayed. And perfect to discreetly overpass a few FBI rules of decency, in case of emergency --in this job, surely, one might deal with gruesome stuff, leading to needs of immediate comfort.  

“Rooms 12 and 13, over there,” Cathy said to Scully, handing the two keys and pointing in the direction to follow. “I wish you a good evening.”

“Thanks, madam,” Mulder replied, while quickly grabbing the keys from Cathy’s hand before Scully had any chance to do so. 

“You’re welcome,” Cathy mumbled as best as she could --she hadn’t seen Mulder coming from her side. 

Thrilled and surprised, Cathy stood still, trying to slow down her heartbeat while watching the Agents walk toward their rooms, and witnessing how the G-man had softly put his right hand on the back of his partner’s lower back --despite all the stuff he was handling. 

Cathy moaned; finally, this job had its perks.    

When she lost sight of the handsome/FBI Agents couple --as she was already labeling Mulder and Scully-- Cathy intuited that something important had just happened to her. Indeed, retrospectively and years later, Cathy would know that these last minutes had been how and when she had fallen into the rabbit hole of a lifetime obsession. 

Cathy was a woman trusting her instincts, and the following days didn’t disappoint her. There wasn’t really much to bite on --and not many factual things to report to Bill or her friends-- but the small scenes between the two agents she stumbled upon, and her short interactions with them, were as precious and subtle as the petals of a poppy. 

You had to know what to look at, and she did know. 

Mulder and Scully’s last night at the Adams Inn became instantly a fond memory in Cathy’s heart. The two agents got back late to the hotel after their last day of work in Philadelphia, and Cathy could have easily missed them, the night porter being already on duty. It was a loud giggle --so characteristic of Scully’s way of laughing she was now able to recognize-- that made Cathy get out of her lodgings, under a false pretext. 

As expected, she encountered Mulder and Scully in the corridor leading to their rooms. 

“Good evening, Agents. I wish you a good night, hoping it takes away all your FBI concerns,” Cathy said.

“Good evening and many thanks, Mrs Gold. Actually, we’re leaving tomorrow morning. We’re finished with Philly,” Mulder replied to Cathy.

“Oh! So, you’ve solved the case you were on? If I may ask,” Cathy said.

“Oh yes! And it’s very, very , satisfactory,” Scully answered.

“Well… I slightly disagree. Our report will have a crack as huge as the one of the Liberty Bell we’ve seen tonight, Scully,” Mulder said.

“Oh? A ghostly crack, I presume? That only you would notice?”

“Scully, don’t ring the bell of victory too soon. We’re not sure Graves will rest in peace in his grave from now on. We might still have to chase his shadow in the future.”

“Mulder, haven’t you learned from the Bell? In our report to write, even if flawed or unfinished, I see the promise of Justice for a murdered man and of Liberty for a young woman. From my point of view, it’s a huge victory. And you want to only see the crack? Hell, what’s wrong with you, Mulder?” Scully said fiercely.

“Scully, I wonder if you haven’t drunk too much wine tonight, and I don’t think Mrs Gold wants to listen to our ramblings, neither the guests of this charming quiet inn. Let’s finish the discussion about our private cracked business in one of our rooms,” Mulder whispered to scully, bent over her head --but loud enough to be heard by Cathy. 

“Good night, Mrs Gold,” he added, while leading Scully toward their room, his right hand on her lower back.

“Good night, Agents,” Cathy replied, sparkles in her eyes.

Cathy turned her back to Mulder and Scully and walked out of the corridor. She didn’t need to spy the way they’ll manage their unfinished cracked business, nor their choice of the room to do so; she had stored enough matter to weigh her fantasies with, if wanted. 

Though, before coming back to her Bill, she indulged in satisfying a curiosity, stepping outdoors to feel the temperature of the air. She had indeed perfectly noticed that Scully was wearing her partner’s jacket over her own, despite the actual Indian summer days. 

That was one subtle red petal of a poppy, and, for Cathy, a subtle proof of a dawning love.

Chapter Text

February 2016  

“Hi, Mr Mulder. The day has been fine?” Cathy casually said to the man entering the lobby, as she was bent over the plant she was watering.

“Hi, Mrs Gold. It can be plain winter yet be warm days, and I’m like those green creatures of you, needing to be watered. Showered, actually,” Mulder replied.

“Isn’t that global warming?”

“Speaking of warming… Mrs Gold, I’m just stopping by to change clothes. I indeed have to drive back to Washington DC ASAP. My partner, Dana… She has…  She has a very serious family emergency, and she’s waiting for my warm comfort... Well… er… what I want to say is that we won’t use both our rooms, and I’m not sure even to need mine. So, maybe I should just cancel our reservations. Still, I need a shower first thing.”

“Why don’t you keep one of the two rooms? We’re not full at this time of the year. Maybe you’ll soon be back to your investigation.”

“Yeah, right. But you’d have to give me another room. I’d be embarrassed to prevent guests from having our two connecting rooms.”

“Don’t bother, I have another pair of them.”

“Ah.”

“And you’re now used to these rooms. They’re yours, when you’re in Philly. Besides, you have to remain grounded in such difficult times.”

“Many thanks, Mrs Gold, you’re so kind. You’ve just warmed me up and, would you believe, I really needed it.”

“Go shower fresh now, someone is waiting for you,” Cathy said, shooing Mulder away.

As Mulder was hurrying toward his usual room number 13 at the Adams Inn, Cathy laid down her watering can and breathed out deeply, expelling all the mixed feelings that had invaded her. 

She had read Mulder’s concerns in his eyes and through the tremor in his voice. Something sad and bad was happening to Scully, affecting both of them. 

Nevertheless, Mulder’s reaction was showing off his deep love for his partner --funny how he would never use the simple word wife, even in such emotional times-- and Cathy was relieved to deduce that the tension she had earlier witnessed between the two was, finally, only superficial. 

No need to pray and light a candle in Old Swedes to save the handsome FBI Agents couple, this time.

January 1997

Cathy was wiping the leaves of the huge ficus located in the far corner of the lobby when the phone rang. She hurried to the counter desk, and picked up the handset.

“Adams Inn,” Cathy said too fast.

“Dana Scully, please,” said a male voice.

“Thank you. I’ll ring.”

Cathy switched the button to room 12 and waited. Nobody answered.

“I’m sorry, sir, there’s no answer in that room,” Cathy informed the man.

“Thank you.” And the voice hung up, abruptly.

Cathy, her hand still on the handset, was puzzled. 

That was Agent Mulder calling and he didn’t even tell his name, unlike the day before, when he had checked the presence of Dana Scully at the inn and asked for a connection. That wasn’t his usual manners. At all.

Since their first visit in 1993, the two FBI Agents had been going to Philadelphia occasionally, always staying at the Adams Inn. Both knew Cathy’s last name and they were always very polite and affable, especially Agent Mulder. Sometimes, only one of them made the trip or stayed for the night in Philly, and, if available, they had their usual rooms --number 12 for Scully, 13 for Mulder. 

The weirdness of this short phone call was confirming what Cathy had been suspecting since Agent Scully had checked in, alone, a few days ago. From her first step in the lobby, Scully’s behavior had been strangely odd and slightly out. More rigid, more distant, and colder than her true self. Cathy had intuited it wasn’t just due to a professional matter, even if some of Scully’s scarce words about the reason for her presence had seemed to reflect such a possibility.    

Something sad and bad was currently happening to Agent Scully. Something affecting the handsome/FBI Agents couple. 

And, as if it wasn’t enough, Agent Scully wasn’t to be found in her room, a fact her partner wasn’t expecting at all and that was worrying him --if not, he wouldn’t have hung up so abruptly.

Cathy had to take action and do something in the realm of her competences. 

She quickly entered her home and shouted to Bill, while putting a coat on:

“Bill! Bill! You have to replace me in the lobby. I’m leaving! Do you hear me?”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m going to pray and light a candle at Old Swedes’ Church!”

“What?”

“Never mind, I won’t be long! It’s an emergency! A handsome couple needs to be saved!”

Chapter Text

February 2016

Cathy woke up abruptly, a pang in her heart. She checked the alarm clock and read 4:30 a.m. That was too early for her usual schedule, but she couldn’t stay in bed, a lingering feeling that something terrible was happening or had happened circling in her mind. 

Maybe she should have gone to Old Swedes and lit a candle to chase bad fate, whatever its face. That was too late now, and if she didn’t want to overthink about it she had to busy herself in the lobby. 

Soon, she was rearranging magazines and tourist flyers in a corner of the lobby, after a little chat with the night porter. Reading haphazardly some of the brochures about Philly, she discovered a ‘guided tour of the most famous and unique tattoo shops’ promising ‘artistic revelations’ and ‘encounters of amazing maestros’, from which you would certainly return with ‘the tattoo of your life.’ Putting back the paper on the shelf, Cathy wondered if it wasn’t a sign for her to get a tattoo, at last. If she were honest with herself, what she would want to be engraved into her skin was all the powerful sensations the handsome/hottest/tall and small/FBI Agents couple had made her feel in her core through the years. However, she wouldn’t even know how it could be synthesized or symbolized; maybe one of these maestros could take up the challenge.

As potential images of tattoos were circling in Cathy’s mind, Agents Mulder and Scully entered the lobby. Cathy lost her breath for a few seconds to this unexpected vision and briefly wondered if she hadn’t become a psychic. 

Paralyzed in the shadowed corner of the lobby, Cathy observed the agents dealing with the night porter and picking up the keys of their rooms. They did it very quickly and pronounced barely a word, and soon they were stepping toward their usual corridor. Though, after just a few meters, Mulder mumbled something into the ear of his partner, then let her continue the way on her own.

Mulder stepped back and headed toward Cathy. Surely, he had spotted her when entering the lobby. He was an FBI Agent, after all.

“Good morning, Mrs Gold,” Mulder said when reaching Cathy.

“Good morning, Mr Mulder. Did you ask for room 12? That room is still empty and clean, you can take it immediately.”

“Mrs Gold… Something terribly sad has happened... We’ve lost Scully’s mother and…uh… we… Dana...”

Sensing Mulder’s trouble, Cathy quickly reacted:

“Oh! I’m so sorry! My sincere condolences... To both of you... Would you need something special? Maybe for breakfast?”

“Thanks, Mrs Gold, that would be nice. We just want to rest a couple of hours before returning to our investigation. Could you bring us breakfast at 7:30 a.m.? Something very sweet to eat and strong coffee to drink.”

“Sure, that would be done.”

“And, Mrs Gold, room service in number 13. We only need that room today, and also for the nights to come, if we have to stay longer.”   

“Yes, of course, I understand.” 

Cathy put her hand on Mulder’s forearm and added: 

“Try to get some rest and comfort. Same for your partner.”

Mulder nodded in response and went away in long strides.

Cathy sighed, her previous indiscernible worries now gone. Finally, it seemed that she had woken up early for a reason; she had now to bake comfort food for the two grieving agents, a mission in the realm of her competences.

January 1997

Cathy was standing behind the counter, waiting nervously for guests to enter and come to her, unable to do anything else but wait. Usually, when alone at the desk, she didn’t have time to overthink about daily worries or to be bored, because of all the messy paperworks and spreadsheets she always had to manage and fill. 

But today wasn’t an ordinary day.

Mulder’s impolite short call early in the morning, an emergency visit to the church, then, later, sparse news about Agent Scully having been assaulted; that had been a lot to take. 

Agent Mulder had indeed given news a couple of hours ago, telling he would need his room and would take care of Scully’s effects, his partner having been admitted to the hospital in the morning. 

Since then, Cathy had been waiting for his arrival, worried. 

Somehow, a moment after Mulder’s second call of the day, Cathy had overcome her angsty inertia and had baked some quick sweet treats, hoping to be able to gift them to Scully via Mulder. Soon, a comforting smell had invaded the lobby, smoothing part of Cathy’s nervousness. Nevertheless, Cathy was still pretty wired, due to the coffee cups she had drunk all along the day. That hadn’t been reasonable at all, and, right now, she once again had to go to the toilets because of the coffee.

When coming back from her imperative break, Cathy discovered the backs of two people standing in front of the counter, waiting for her. Hell, she really should watch her consumption of that damn coffee.

“Good afternoon, Mrs and Mr,” Cathy said as she was hurrying toward her desk.

“Good afternoon, Mrs Gold,” Mulder replied.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I was walking in haste and I didn’t recognize you.”

“Mrs Gold, I’d like to introduce Mrs Scully, Dana Scully’s mother,” Mulder said.

“Glad to meet you, Mrs Scully. I’d have liked to meet you in other circumstances. I’m very sorry for your daughter. How is Dana?”

“Thanks, Mrs Gold. She’s fine, apparently, though very badly injured,” Mrs Scully answered.

Cathy nodded but wouldn’t know what and how to answer. Was it possible to be fine and badly injured at the same time?

“Mrs Gold… Mrs Scully would want to take Dana’s room for a couple of nights. Is that possible? And is room 13 ready?” Mulder asked. 

“Yes, sure... No problem… Here are your keys, we’ll do all the formalities later. I suppose you’d want to visit Dana as soon as possible,” Cathy said.

“Thanks, Mrs Gold,” Mrs Scully replied, grabbing the two keys and picking up one of the bags lying on the floor.

“Mrs Scully, do I need to remind you to let me take your bag?” Mulder gently admonished, frowning his eyebrows. 

Then, grabbing Mrs Scully’s bag and his own, Mulder showed the direction to Mrs Scully. “By there,” Mulder added.

“Thanks, Fox. I’m so glad I came with you. You always know how to lift one’s burden,” Mrs Scully said, while putting her right hand on Mulder’s arm so as to be led.

Cathy watched the two of them heading toward their rooms, eyes wet. That was a harsh day today, yet, there was light and hope for better moments. Dana Scully’s life wasn't in danger, and all the love she was about to receive from her mother and her partner would properly heal her wounds. Soon, in her hospital bed, she would be comforted by her mother’s embrace and sweet words, then by Fox’s strong forearms and intimate words --and all the discord and misunderstanding the agents seemed to have these last days would instantly vanish. 

What could go wrong, at this point, for the handsome/FBI Agents couple? 

Then, as she lost sight of her guests, Cathy wondered if Fox and Dana were exhibiting their intimacy in the presence of Scully’s mother. Cathy suspected that they were, as Mrs Scully seemed to have entirely welcomed her daughter’s partner as family. Cathy hadn’t seen much in the few minutes of their exchanges at the counter, but, for her, the gestures and words she had witnessed between Fox and his mother-in-law were proof of a deep rooted bond.

Cathy sighed, relieved that the universe seemed to have returned to a more normal state. She promised herself to never again worry that much about the handsome/FBI Agents couple, and she thought that, maybe, she would even be able to do some paperworks before the end of the day.

Chapter Text

February 2016  

All day, Cathy had Mulder and Scully in her heart and mind. 

Since the departure of the agents --who had eaten the whole made-with-heart comforting breakfast-- Cathy had been unable to concentrate on her usual tasks. She was upset and sad, and had no idea of what she could do to alleviate her low spirits, as well as Mulder and Scully’s deep sorrow. 

She had gone to Old Swedes in the morning, prayed and lit a candle, but what could she have hoped for, using these humble means? Time and Love would eventually heal Mulder and Scully’s pain, and these two powerful forces were way beyond her grasp. Besides, Love wasn’t lacking for the handsome couple --she had never doubted it-- and Cathy liked to imagine it as a vivid spring, wildly pouring out of Mulder and Scully’s souls whenever they were close to each other, and that would never ever run dry.   

When crossing the lobby this morning, the two agents had held hands tight for a few seconds --as to give each other strength for their workday-- then had stepped out with resolute faces and steps. Cathy, who had witnessed the scene, had been admirative of their braveness. 

Though, how would and could they cope with their brutal loss and grief while investigating a gruesome murder case? Of course, they were FBI Special Agents, but, to that point, one would wonder if they weren’t some genetically modified Super Agents, or, even, from another planet. 

At least, these last thoughts made Cathy smile; surely, she was watching too much sci-fi series to imagine such absurdities. And, really? The two agents, even if unbelievably gorgeous and aging without aging so well, even if skilled investigators and seemingly fearless, were far too human and sensitive not to be mere mortals. 

As the sun had begun to set and as Cathy was setting her heart at rest, Agents Mulder and Scully entered the lobby, heading toward the counter with indecipherable faces. For a few seconds, Cathy felt a little embarrassed; how was she supposed to behave and what could she tell them, when they had been in her thoughts all day? 

She decided to keep it simple and mundane, as usual.

“Good evening, Agents. Hoping the day has been fine,” Cathy said.

“Good evening, Mrs Gold. We’re finished with our investigation, and, even though it’s still so early that we could make it back to Washington DC, we’ll stay for the night,” Mulder replied.

“I understand. You surely need to take some rest and not take the car.”

“That’s it,” Mulder said.

“Mrs Gold, could you recommend a pretty quiet church downtown?” Scully asked, while twiddling both her necklaces. 

Cathy noticed the extra necklace completing Scully’s usual cross, easily guessing it might be somehow related to her loss. Cathy swallowed and cleared her throat.

“In nice and quiet surroundings, so to settle down outside for a little while,” Mulder added.

“Oh, yes, of course. I’m used to attending Old Swedes’ Church, the oldest church in Pennsylvania. There’s so much history in this place, yet still so simple. There’s even replicas of the ships that carried the Swedish settlers, hanging from the ceiling. And the graveyard surrounding the building is pleasant, green and peaceful; there are benches, and squirrels coming to you when you’re seated,” Cathy suggested.

“Ships and squirrels, I’m in,” Mulder said.

“And, nearby by foot, there’s the Washington Avenue Pier, where you could stroll and sit along the river,” Cathy added.

“Plus real ships and waters. What do you think, Scully?” Mulder asked.

“Seems perfect to me, Mulder. You could bring some sunflower seeds to connect with squirrels, while I’m communicating with God. Many thanks for the tips, Mrs Gold,” Scully said.

“You’re welcome. Have a nice serene evening, hoping you’ll find peace.”

Scully nodded then stepped away, heading toward their rooms. She only walked a few steps and stopped, as Mulder wasn’t following her; he was standing still, lost in thoughts. 

Scully stepped back and grabbed Mulder’s hand.

“Come on, Mulder. Let’s go shower off our day, then talk to God and squirrels.”

Mulder turned around, slightly lowered down his head, then, facing Scully, squeezed back her hand and softly replied:

“Scully, as much as I’d love to tame wild squirrels on my own, if your God and yourself don’t bother my presence, I’d like to come with you inside the church.”  

Scully stared back at Mulder, taking in his words.  

“I’d really want to stay by your side and… I might also need to... to meditate. You know that... that she mattered a lot to me, too,” Mulder added, almost whispering.

Scully lowered down her head, her eyes watering, her lips shivering. 

After a few seconds of complete stillness and silence, Mulder moved and grabbed away Scully, leading them to their room.

“And, Scully, it would be so much fun to fool around together with the squirrels,” Mulder said cheerfully. 

Cathy watched them go away, her right hand on her chest, her heart beating so fast she could hear it. The two agents had been completely oblivious of Cathy’s presence during their last exchange, not afraid to exhibit their intimate conversation, and their heart and soul, in plain sight.  

What on Earth had she done to deserve such trust?  

August 1996

Cathy jerked awake in her bed. Checking the alarm clock, she was surprised to discover that she had switched off the light only one hour ago. She wasn’t even remembering a nightmare or a noise that could have awakened her, and her Bill was quietly sleeping beside her. That wasn’t usual and Cathy feared that something bad had happened, something sad and painful to loved ones.

Cathy tried for a while to find sleep again, but, when she couldn’t bear to endlessly turn around --physically in the bed, and emotionally in her mind-- she got up and dressed. She would go chat with the night porter, then go outside to breath gulps of the warm summer night air, and, maybe, she would find peace and sleep.

Inhaling, exhaling, and pacing the parking lot of the inn, Cathy observed a sedan coming in then being parked hastily and boldly askew. Cathy stopped her movements, feeling irritation building up --as if the parking lot wasn’t crowded enough, who dared wasting a place?-- and got ready to lecture the bold driver.

A petite redhead left the impudent car and headed toward Cathy’s position, innocently smiling.

“Good night, Mrs Gold. Still out at this late hour?” Scully asked when facing Cathy.

“Good night, Mrs Scully. You know, insomnia. The bother comes every now and then,” Cathy replied.

“Don’t let sleep disorders creep into your nights, Mrs Gold. Advice from a MD,” Scully said, pointing to her own chest.

“You? Aren’t you a Special Agent with the FBI?” 

“And a Medical Doctor.”

“Oh! When I say that to my Bill, he won’t believe me… I guess you’ve had a long day, coming back from work so late. You’re still on your own? Agent Mulder didn’t join you?”

“Oh yes, he had. But I’m afraid he has to spend the night at the hospital. He’d have preferred to come with me to your charming inn, but I’ve insisted he’d be kept for observation.”

“Oh! Hoping he’s not badly injured!”

“Don’t worry, he’ll probably make it without any aftereffect... Mrs Gold, wishing you a good night.”

“Good night, Mrs Scully.”

Cathy watched the petite agent walk toward a well-deserved rest and disappear into the building. Then, giving a last look at the impudent rental car, Cathy smiled --MDs were sacred and they could park as badly as they wanted, especially when they were also FBI Agents-- and was now ready to resume her night. 

Cathy slept like a baby after her encounter with the gorgeous MD/FBI Agent, and her mood was light and joyful the whole morning. It wasn’t yet noon when she saw both Mulder and Scully entering the lobby.

“Good morning, Agents! How are you, Mr Mulder?” Cathy cheerfully said out loud, while coming forward to meet the agents.

“Good morning, Mrs Gold. Seems I’m okay, though still lightly dozy,” Mulder replied.

“Oh! You’re willing to rest at the inn for the day and night? Room 13 is available, if you want. I’ve managed to keep it free, despite the crowd we had these days.”

“You’re so nice Mrs Gold, but I’m afraid we’re returning to DC. I just came in with my partner because she’s my driver. Actually, she’s checking out and we’re leaving. But I really would have wanted to stay. You know how much I love the Adams Inn and its nice and charming host.”

“You’re flattering me, Mr Mulder. So, you’ve solved the case you were on? If I may ask.”

“We stopped a murderer, but there’s still some work to do on the hows and whys. Yet, we’ll do that from our headquarters, mostly,” Scully said.

“I guess it’s the most important thing, stopping the murderer. You make me feel so safe when you’re my guest in Philly, Mrs Scully. Even more now that I’ve learned you’re also a MD,” Cathy replied.

“Me too, I’m feeling safe when she’s around me,” Mulder said, staring intensely at Scully's face. “All those skills in that petite shape. Would you believe, Mrs Gold, that tonight she saved my life and dragged me through vents? And I can assure you that she’d saved my endangered ass many times before.”

Scully lowered down her head, cheeks blushed.

“Come on, Mulder… That’s just part of our jobs,” Scully said.

“Don’t listen to her, Mrs Gold. Scully is just the best partner you would ever dream of to watch your back. Do you know she had also been able to read me as I was paralyzed and could only move my eyes? I suspect she even has some psychic powers.”  

“Mulder… Don’t listen to him, Mrs Gold.”

“Let’s see if it works again. Look at me, straight in the eyes, Scully,” Mulder said to Scully, facing her.  

The two agents, staring at each other’s eyes, didn’t move for a couple of seconds.

“No, Mulder, we won’t stay. Maybe you need to exclusively rest but I have work to do in DC,” Scully finally said.

“See, Mrs Gold? She reads me.”

“Come on, Mulder. I have to pack,” Scully said, grabbing Mulder’s arm and pulling him forward.

Cathy watched them step away, wondering how on Earth two handsome/tall and small/FBI Agents could be so cute together, so hot without even trying to be, and emanate so much spontaneous and unintended sexual energy in the most mundane situations.  

A moment later, the agents came back in the lobby, both Scully’s hands taken by her bags --she certainly didn’t want Mulder to carry any of them. As Scully was finalizing her check out with Cathy at the counter, Mulder was scanning the tourist flyers displayed on a shelf in a corner of the lobby. 

“Scully!” Mulder shouted suddenly, “I’m sweating cold and I'm feeling dizzy... I have to sit down.”

“Mulder!” Scully shouted back, hurrying to her partner who had found a seat near the shelf.

Cathy followed, panicked. Was Agent Mulder so badly and insidiously injured that he would have a heart attack without warning? 

“Do you need something, Mrs Scully? Should I call 911? Does he need some water? What can I do?” Cathy said hastily.

“A glass of water would be nice, Mrs Gold, thanks,” Scully said, unperturbed.

Scully was already checking Mulder’s state, putting her hand on his forehead then on his neck to sense his pulse --all gestures done with both expertise and tenderness. He was obviously in good hands, MD hands, thought Cathy; no reason to panic, Agent Scully was a professional. 

Cathy left the lobby in search of a glass of water. She was glad to be useful in such a moment, yet she was sorry to leave the two agents, even for a couple of seconds. She didn’t want to miss how Agent Scully was handling her partner’s health problem --it seemed so instructive about their relationship. 

When Cathy came back, Scully was squatting between Mulder’s legs, holding his hands in hers and whispering soft words. Mulder had his eyes closed and was inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply. 

Cathy almost hesitated to break the intimate bubble they had created by stepping in, but she had a mission and Mulder might really need to be rehydrated. 

“Uh… Here a glass of water,” Cathy said.

“Thanks,” Scully replied, picking up the glass and giving it to Mulder.

Mulder drank, gave back the empty glass to Cathy, then said to Scully : 

“I’m better now. Thanks, Doc. I guess I’m not completely off the hook from this poisonous seed.”

“It would be safer to have you under my watch during the next 24 hours, Mulder.” 

“What about all the work you wanted to do?”

“I’ll have to go meet Skinner at some point and pick up some files from our office, but I won’t be long. I’ll stay with you at your apartment, Mulder. For the rest of the day and the whole night. By the way, we have a report to write, and I need you for that.”

“Oh, Scully, I thought I had to exclusively rest.”    

“Come on, Mulder. I won’t let you lie down and doze off the whole day on your couch, watching your usual dirty stuff on screen, and eating junk food. At least, you’d have to make room for me on the couch, so… so we can discuss the case.”

“If you say so, Doc.” 

“Then, let’s go,” Scully said, standing up, then pulling Mulder from his chair.

“Goodbye, Mrs Gold. See you next time in Philly,” Scully added when grabbing back her luggage.

“Goodbye Agents, and safe travels. Mr Mulder, I hope you feel better soon,” Cathy said.

“Thanks Mrs Gold. I hope I’ll have better luck next time I’m in Philly,” Mulder said.

And then the handsome/hottest/tall and small/FBI Agents couple was gone, leaving Cathy with an empty glass in her hand, and questions, certainties and fantasies in her mind.

Three years since Mulder and Scully’s first visit at the Adams Inn, and their love was no more dawning but blooming.

The two agents were the archetype of a modern couple, obviously living separately and so dedicated to their demanding jobs --also, they had this subtle way of blurring gender stereotypes, so modern, too. 

They didn’t have wedding rings, they didn’t use honey words, they didn’t kiss, yet Cathy wasn’t doubting at all they were an established couple --all the evidence had been there for Cathy’s standards, and, by the way, it would be a crime if they weren’t romantically involved. 

Cathy wondered if they had already planned to have kids and how they would reconcile it with their dangerous jobs --it would really be a waste of genetic material if they didn’t plan to. Cathy hoped to one day host their whole family, visiting Philly while staying at the Adams Inn --a bunch of red-haired, black-haired, tall and small cute little children laughing and running across the lobby. 

However, Cathy would also be happy and grateful if they just remained the two of them, hands in hands against the ugliness of human nature, never afraid to fight the darkness, finding and bringing light from their shared love, and healing the whole world till they get too old --Cathy, as many people on this planet, needed romantic action heroes. 

And then, Cathy let her mind wander into sensual territories --it would be a crime not to imagine both their bodies dancing, playing, sliding, mingling, and tracing new and beautiful lines of love in the book of the universe. She wondered how they were behaving at the FBI headquarters, in front of all their fellows; whether their boss or bosses --Skinner maybe was one?-- had noticed their singular relationship; whether they had an office just for the two of them --Scully had said ‘our office’-- and, if so, how they could prevent sexual desire from messing up with their minds during long paperworks days. Also, what about the couch Scully had mentioned? She seemed to have pronounced the word with a peculiar tone, full of suggestive lore. 

Clearly, Cathy could go on and on, fantasies endlessly flooding her brain like a spring that would never ever run dry. 

She sighed heavily, looked down at the empty glass she was still handling, and, then, realized that she was now really thirsty, heart and soul.