Title: You'll Never Walk Alone Author: Tess E-mail: tnv099@aol.com Distribution: If you want to archive it, I'd like to know where. Spoilers: Post Ep for Closure Rating: PG Content: SR Keywords: Vignette, MSR, 3rd party POV Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters herein mentioned. I don't own the words to the wonderful songs by Rogers and Hammerstein. But if I was gonna set the X-Files to music, these songs would be the ones I'd choose. I'm only doing this for fun. Mulder, Scully and the others are sole property of Fox, 1013 Productions and CC. Author's notes: Cynthia suggested You'll Never Walk Alone for Closure. And I agree. Hope you like it. You'll Never Walk Alone When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high And don't be afraid of the dark At the end of the storm is a golden sky And the sweet, silver song of a lark Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain Though your dreams be tossed and blown Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone You'll never walk alone Rogers and Hammerstein - Carousel You'll Never Walk Alone By: Tess "I'm fine. I'm free." He tilts his head back, staring at the sky. A glimmer of a smile softens his mouth. Starlight. She doesn't understand what he's talking about. She rarely does. But she wants to and so she takes his hand in her own and leads him back to their car. They drive to their motel in silence and she follows him into his room. He toes off his shoes, kicking them into a corner and tosses his jacket and sweater into another. He always was a bit of a slob. She slides out of her leather coat and folds it neatly over a chair. As he flops onto the bed, she slips off her shoes, settling down on the mattress next to him, curling her legs under her and surreptitiously rubbing her feet. She is quiet, patiently waiting for him to begin speaking. He opens his eyes and heaves himself into a sitting position. He tugs one of her feet into his lap and begins to massage the tender flesh. Her eyes flutter closed in a moment of bliss and then she fixes her gaze on him. Waiting. "I saw her, Scully." "Saw her?" "Samantha. Out in the woods." "Mulder..." her voice is tinged with concern and disbelief. "Please, Scully, just listen to what I have to say," he pleads. She nods, again waiting for him to speak. "A little boy came and took me by the hand. I didn't realize it at first, but it was Harold's son. He led me through the woods and into a clearing bathed in starlight." His hands are still wrapped around her foot, his fingers absentmindedly rubbing. "They were all there, Scully. Amber Lynn, so sweet with the most adorable grin on her face. Dozens of children, playing in the starlight. And then suddenly, she was there." "Samantha?" He lets go of her foot and reaches out for her hands, tugging her closer. They sit, knees touching, faces close. "Samantha. She was standing across the field and then she began to run to me. Oh, Scully. She was so...such a beautiful young woman." He closes his eyes, remembering. "She smiled at me and then leaned against my chest. I wrapped her in my arms. I hugged her and touched her hair. Oh, God. I can't even describe it to you." He looks at her with such joy, such peace in his eyes and knows that this time, he has convinced her. She bends forward, pressing her cheek against their joined hands. "Emily?" she whispers, lifting her head to look at him. Some of the joy dims in his face and he lifts one hand to brush his thumb along her cheek. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't see her." She smiles softly. "That's alright, Mulder. I don't need to see her to know that she's at peace. That she's in a better place." He nods and presses his lips to her forehead. They sit quietly for several long minutes. Finally she stirs and breaks the silence. "It's been a long couple of days. We should get some sleep." He nods and begins to strip off his jeans and T-shirt as she walks across the room to the door. He slides under the covers as she turns off the lights and enters her own room through the connecting door. He is drifting off to sleep when she returns wearing her robe. She reaches the bed and lifts his T-shirt off the floor. Dropping her robe, she pulls the shirt over her head and then draws back the covers, sliding into the bed next to him. He rolls over and lifts his head onto the pillow of her breasts, wrapping himself around her as if she were a life-size teddy bear. Her arms curl around him, one hand sifting through his hair and rubbing his scalp as the other traces patterns on his arm. "Love you Scully," he slurs sleepily, nuzzling his cheek against her cotton-covered breasts. "I love you too, Mulder," she murmurs, dropping a kiss onto his silky hair. "Mama?" I turn and she's there, every bit as beautiful as he described her. She s miles, reaching out her hand and for the first time in over 25 years, I am holding my beautiful daughter in my arms. "Come Mama. It's time to leave." I smile and take a step forward then stop and look at her with panicked eyes. "I don't want to leave him alone," I tell her. "Oh, Mama. He hasn't been alone in a very long time." She nods toward the bed. I turn back and see him sleeping easily, wrapped in the protective embrace of his lover's arms. I realize that my beautiful boy has not walked alone since this woman has entered his life. She will protect him and love him and be his family, just as she has done all these many years. I thread Samantha's arm through my own. My children are at peace, and so I am at peace as my daughter leads me into the starlight. The End Author's notes: Another one that was short and hopefully sweet. I hope. And now I won't think of Jerry Lewis sobbing at the end of the telethon every September when I hear this song. Instead, hopefully, I will think of my version. Feedback is graciously accepted and always responded to at tnv099@aol.com