Title: Step #3: The Power of the Shower
Author: Susan Frankovich
E-mail: sus...@ticnet.com or filesfa...@yahoo.com
Classification: vignette
Spoiler: post all things
Archive: No.
Disclaimer: These characters belong to each other,
not me.

Author's notes: This is the third in a series of
vignettes occurring late in season seven that
chronicle the start of Mulder and Scully's romantic
relationship.

More author's notes at the end.

You can find all of the stories in the Steps Series
at Ephemeral or at my site here:
http://members.tripod.com/sfrankovich/index.html

**********************************************************

The Power of the Shower
by Susan Frankovich
~~~~~~

The water shoots out of the shower head with full
force, its coldness numbing my skin.

Or is what happened with Scully making me numb?

In either case, I can't feel a thing, and so I
stand there, letting the icy water hit me square
in the chest.

I guess I really shouldn't be surprised that she
left this morning without saying goodbye...after
all, we never say goodbye when we hang up from
the phone...but still, things are different now.

*We're* different.

At least I thought we were anyway.

Hell, maybe it all really was just a dream, an
extremely vivid and powerful dream brought on by
too many hours of traveling and not enough hours
of sleeping.

No, I refuse to believe that.

Scully *did* sit beside me on the couch and tell me
that her life had changed.

And then she proved it by coming to my bed.

So, why did she leave this morning without saying
a word?

Did she decide that she isn't ready for us to be
lovers and that we're better off just being partners?

The thought that I might never be that close to
her again, never feel her beneath me again, sends
a rush of adrenaline through my veins, and suddenly
I no longer feel numb.

I feel determined.

Stepping further underneath the now steamy stream
of water, I finish my shower in under five minutes,
then quickly get dressed.

I have to see her.

I have to see her and tell her that what we have
is right and that it's our time now.

I have to tell her that last night wasn't a mistake,
that I'm ready to take this next step and that she
is too.

But even more importantly, I have to tell her that
it's okay to be afraid, because I sure as hell am.

Grabbing my car keys off the table, I run my hand
over my still wet hair, take a deep breath, and
hurry out the door.

~step three completed~

*Thanks so much for all the kind letters you've been
sending me about this series.  Your comments inspire
me and make me want to keep writing more.:)

Steps Series (so far)

#1: The Unexpected Curve Ball
#2: The Realness of Red Hair
#3: The Power of the Shower