Home Again by Singing Violin (Pearl on Ephemeral/Gossamer) Email: perlner@mit.edu Rating: G Category: VRA Spoilers: "My Struggle," "Home Again" Summary: An MSR tag to the revival episode "Home Again." Disclaimer: The X-Files characters and universe are not mine. Author's Note: Thank you to Hestia01 for the chat that inspired this! Archiving: Anywhere, just let me know. Tears are still streaking down her face, as, now that the case is over, she has nothing left to prevent her from feeling it all. All he can do is to hold her and wait. Finally, she pulls away, wiping at her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm a wreck," she barely whispers. "It's okay," he tells her, rubbing her shoulder. "You have every right." She looks up at him soulfully. She's already said everything she needed to say, and he understands. All that's left is to feel. She opens her mouth to speak, and for a moment he's afraid she's going to ask to work again, but they have no case, and thus she has nowhere to run to. She's already home. She utters one word, and it shocks him. "Stay," she pleads. His eyes grow wide. "I'm not sure it's a good idea," he tries, not really daring to believe she's even said it. Surely her grief has affected her better judgment. After all, he's had to physically pull her away from a potentially bad situation more than once in the last few days. "Please," she begs. "Just for tonight. I'm not sure I can sleep otherwise. And I'm so tired." He nods. "I know. But I promised I'd let you go. If I stay, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to leave again." Another tear rolls down her cheek. "Right now, I don't care," she admits. "It all seems so..." "Inconsequential?" he asks. "Why did you leave, anyway?" She shakes her head and chuckles through sobs as she looks down at the floor. "I don't know anymore. I don't know." "All right," he answers. "I'll stay as long as you need me. But I have to warn you, if you ask me to leave, you're going to break my heart." He's only half joking. "I won't," she promises, then leans towards him once again, burying her head in his chest. He wraps his arms around her and feels her warmth against him. It is the same warmth he feels when his eyes open to the sunlight streaking through the bedroom window. Scully's bedroom window. He's home again.