Title: The Next Step Is Love Author: Theresa F. Feedback: theresa@xf-mindseye.com Rating: PG Category: UST, Mulder POV Summary: I was inspired by the VS8 Episode "The Man Who Would Be King" by Jess. I'm going to steal what I thought was a very clever idea from her and use one of Elvis' songs to create a little post-ep between Mulder and Scully. Credits: "The Next Step is Love" written by Paul Evans, performed by Elvis Presley. (Full Song at the end of this story) Time Period: This post-ep takes place during the VS8, before "Devil's Advocate," where our agents finally experienced some RST. :-) Archiving: Written for IMTP VS10's 200-20,000 Word Post-Ep Special. Two weeks belong to the VS10. After that archive anywhere. Just drop me a line so I can come to visit! Thanks: To Jess for writing such a great episode! Thanks to the IMTP Virtual Season for having a great run this year! *** The Next Step Is Love Monday Evening Sunset ***** Yesterday, I slipped away The sun is welcoming the evening shadows On a perfect day and the next step is love The next step is love ***** There was some extra sunshine coming through the skylight in the basement today. Mulder pondered the orange glow of the sky, streaked with red bellied clouds sparkling with bright yellow highlights. Scully had left a few minutes ago, but she was really still there with him. He closed his eyes and thought about their day at the ballpark, the sun glinting her hair just like the sunset kissing the sky above him. The heat of the day made it smell like her shampoo, soapy and sweet, until the dome closed above them to shade the stadium. They'd hung around after the game, using their badges to persuade the cleanup crew. He remembered the night he'd taught her to play. Dragging her toe over home plate, he guessed she was remembering too. Dusk came quickly upon them as they playfully ran the bases. He'd loved seeing her smile. The week had been magical; first seeing Elvis' clone, then the satisfaction of bringing two people who loved each other together. An evening with another sunset, she'd shared a plum with him. She'd swiped the juice from his lip. The next day she'd shared her awful bubble gum flavored icee with him, and shyly took the straw between her lips after he'd cursed the flavor's existence. He thought of her wet mouth, tongue playing with the plastic straw. Two more people that loved each other could be brought together soon. He sighed and sat back in his chair. He watched the sky turn the blue-gray of twilight. The memory was blissful. He didn't want it to end. Flutters beat on the inside of his ribcage. What if he just didn't care? Would he be braver? ***** We walked barefoot through the misty meadows Laughing at each other in the rain Made some faces at some people in the park Didn't bother to explain Fun, fun, look at us run Going nowhere special really fast But we've yet to taste the icing on the cake That we've been baking with the past ***** They had removed their shoes to walk across the outfield, feeling the cool grass flatten against their soles. He'd taken her hand, so small within his own. But the strength and skill of those hands was something an observer could never tell. She felt like family, a safe place to be, holding her hand on that wide open field of green. They stopped walking. Heard a whirring sound coupled with the creak of metal. They looked up together, and then the skies opened up. But the rain came from the ground, not the sky. The sprinklers had come on, spraying them generously with icy cold jets of water. They ran toward the dugouts, dirt clinging to their wet feet. Her lips were wet again. He'd wanted to touch them, taste them; even if they tasted like bubble gum ice. ***** And the next step is love So what are we waiting for? The next step is love Girl, it's for sure ***** So why not? He'd done it on New Year's Eve. Why couldn't he do it again? "Blood don't mean nothin' if they're gonna hurt you,does it?" He remembered one of those tall black girls saying. Scully felt like family, but he was afraid she'd hurt him. She was his best friend, he wanted more -- oh how he wanted it -- but he was so afraid to lose what he had. But looking into those deep blue eyes of hers, the hair stuck to her cheek, rusty brown with dampness, he couldn't have felt any more reservations. The next step is love. And he was in it. And he would act on it soon. But not that day. That day was perfect. And he wanted to treasure it. ***** Love will be a place to run to From the world they've built to you and me We'll be closer than we've ever been Though looking back it's so hard to believe Hang it all out or bring it all in The best we've picked upon the way tonight Changes are coming but together We can make it through somehow ***** Mulder rocked forward in his chair. It was dark out now. He could only see his own reflection up in the skylight window. He clicked off his computer, and shifted some papers into a messy pile, but enough to clear the blotter on his desk. He turned to put on his blazer, and heard footsteps coming from the door. He whipped around to see her, pushing a strand of hair behind one of her ears. She always did that when she was uncomfortable or embarrassed. "I forgot my book," she said. Mulder smiled. Then replied, "Good. This time I can walk you out." And they left the office together. ***** Yes the next step is love ***** -------------------- Here's the whole song! Let me know what you thought! -T :-) ***** The Next Step Is Love Written by Paul Evans Preformed by Elvis Presley Yesterday, I slipped away The sun is welcoming the evening shadows On a perfect day and the next step is love The next step is love We walked barefoot through the misty meadows Laughing at each other in the rain Made some faces at some people in the park Didn't bother to explain Fun, fun, look at us run Going nowhere special really fast But we've yet to taste the icing on the cake That we've been baking with the past And the next step is love So what are we waiting for? The next step is love Girl, it's for sure Love will be a place to run to From the world they've built to you and me We'll be closer than we've ever been Though looking back it's so hard to believe Hang it all out or bring it all in The best we've picked upon the way tonight Changes are coming but together We can make it through somehow Yes the next step is love