Disclaimer:  Just in case there's anyone out there who still doesn't
know that Scully, Mulder and the rest of the gang belong to CC 'the
surfer babe', 1013 and Fox, I'm letting you know now that this is,
in fact, the case.  I'm just borrowing them and I'll give them
back when I'm done.  I've never been to Africa so any names or 
geographical and cultural references are from my imagination,
as are medical procedures/treatments etc.


Classification: T, R (Mulder/Scully), A

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers:  The Pilot, Darkness Falls, Ascension, 3, Never Again, 
Memento Mori

Summary: Mulder and Scully search for a cancer cure in Africa and find
themselves becoming more than just friends in the process.


"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 1 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)

Scully's apartment
Saturday 3:37 a.m.


     Scully was startled out of sleep by the ringing of the phone
next to her bed.  She contemplated letting her answering machine get
it but couldn't quite bring herself to do it because she knew
Mulder was bound to be on the other end.

     "Mulder?" she asked resignedly.

     "And here was I thinking that was my name," he replied,
amusement evident in his tone.

     Scully sighed.  She just wasn't up to appreciating his humour
this early in the morning.

     "Mulder, it's.." she peered at the clock, "It's 3:40 a.m.
What the Hell is so important that it couldn't wait until a decent
hour?"

     "I guess you're just not a morning person, huh Scully?" he
responded.  Scully heard laughter in the background and frowned.
How anyone could be that cheerful at this time in the morning
was beyond her.

     "Scully, you still there?" Mulder asked, slightly concerned by
her lack of response.

     "Yeah, still here." she replied.  "So what's so important that
it couldn't wait a few more hours?"

     "Scully, I need you to come over here right away.  Please."
Scully's eyebrow rose at the unaccustomed appeal.

     "It's really that important?" she asked him.

     "Scully, I swear I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't absolutely
necessary."  His sincerity was unmistakable and Scully gave in.

     "Alright, Mulder.  Are you at home?"

     "No, I'm at the Lone Gunmen's," he replied, and cut her off as
she started to ask why.  "I'll explain everything when you get here.
I promise.  Don't be too long, 'kay."

     "Alright, Mulder.  See you soon."

     Scully hung up the phone and gazed longingly at the warm bed as
she crossed to her closet and quickly pulled out some loose jeans and
a blouse.  A quick shower later, she grabbed her gun, cel phone and
car keys and set off on what she feared would turn out to be Mulder's
latest wild goose chase.



Office of the Lone Gunmen
Saturday 6:30 a.m.

     Scully was growing irritated.  At first she had thought it was 
some kind of sick joke, but as the faces of the four men around her 
had remained completely serious for over an hour now, she didn't
know what to think.

     "Byers," she said, appealing to the only one of the Gunmen who
she regarded as mostly sane, "Surely you don't believe this too?  I
mean you guys know better than anyone that x-rays and bloodwork, all
of this so-called evidence, can be faked."

     He smiled at her sympathetically, understanding that she feared
another disappointment like the one she had experienced with the Dr.
Scanlon fiasco.  To have the possibility of a cure waved enticingly
under her nose and then snatched just as quickly away had caused her
enough pain already.  But he knew that this was different, and he
had to get it through to Scully even if it meant revealing a part of
himself that he usually kept hidden.

     "Scully, it wasn't just a coincidence that we found this woman.
Eight years ago, before I'd met Langley and Frohike, before the Lone
Gunmen even existed, my wife was dying from cancer."  Byers could
sense the looks of shock on the faces of the Lone Gunmen, but he
concentrated on Scully and Mulder instead.  Mulder moved to grasp 
Scully's hand, but their faces remained impassive.  He could see 
understanding in their gazes and recognised that they both knew 
what it was like to lose someone you loved.

     Byers continued.  "I know that the bloodwork and the x-rays
aren't fakes, because they belonged to my wife.  To Miranda."  He
ran a hand through his hair as the painful memories came flooding
back.  But he pushed them aside.  There would be plenty of time for
bittersweet reminiscing later, when he was alone.  For now, four
pairs of eyes regarded him expectantly, and he started to speak
again.  "It got to the stage where the doctors had given up hope.
Her tumor was slightly more accessible than yours, Scully, and
for a while, we had thought that it might be able to be removed in
surgery.  But ultimately the doctors concluded that she was very
unlikely to survive such a high pressure procedure, and they
weren't willing to take the risk.  But we didn't give up.  That
was when we found Robina, or rather, she found us.  She'd been
working with tribal medicines in Africa, actually living amongst
the natives, and she was back in Washington to pick up some
supplies when we met.  Miranda and I were willing to try anything
at that point, and as you can see from the x-rays, Robbie's
remedies made some progress.  In the end, it was just too little,
too late though.  Miranda died, Scully, but you don't have to.
Your tumor's been discovered early on and I am sure that Robina
will be able to help you."  He looked at Scully hesitantly, not
quite sure what her reaction would be to his story, but
desperately hoping that it would help her to make what he knew was
the right decision.

     Scully let go of Mulder's hand and moved closer to Byers,
placing a hand on his shoulder.  "Thank-you," she said simply,
"I know that must have been difficult for you, and I promise I'll
think about it.  But I just can't make the decision right now."

     "I understand." he replied, and felt Scully squeeze his
shoulder before she returned to Mulder's side.  Byers watched as 
they communicated silently and turned as one to leave.  Mulder's
hand went reassuringly to the small of Scully's back, as usual, 
and Byers let out a breath he had not even been aware that he was
holding and hoped that neither of them would have to suffer the
pain of a loss so strong that it still enveloped him almost eight
years afterwards.



Scully's apartment
Saturday 7:20

     "Why don't you go back to bed, Scully.  You could probably use
the sleep."

     "Oh whereas you get your quota of eight hours every night, 
I suppose." she retorted sarcastically as she got out some glasses
and orange juice.

     Mulder frowned.  "Seriously, Scully.  I know that it's
important for you to be getting enough rest so that your body's
at peak condition to fight the cancer."

     "I'm fine, Mulder." Scully replied, and then looked at him 
suspiciously as she took in the whole statement.  "Since when are
you an expert on the treatment of cancer, anyway?"

     Mulder knew he was in trouble now but decided to make a last
ditch attempt to get out of it.  "So, Scully, got anything good for
breakfast?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

     But Scully was having none of it.  "Fox William Mulder, you
answer my question right this instant."  Mulder knew he was in
trouble the second she used his full name.  He looked at her
sheepishly.

     "Weeelll, I might have read a few books about it, and
talked to your doctor, and to your mother."  He figured that as long
as he was confessing he might as well get it all out.

     Scully looked at him exasperatedly.  She wanted to get mad at
him, she really did, but it was simply impossible when he was giving
her such an endearingly guilty look.  But one thing was bothering her.

     "My doctor talked to you about my condition?" she asked him,
frowning.  Mulder raised his eyes heavenwards.  He should have known
he couldn't hide anything from Scully.

     "Don't blame the guy.  I may have misled him slightly." he told
her.  Scully looked relieved.

     "What did you do?  Tell him you were my brother or something?"
she asked.

     "Um, no.  I did tell him we were partners.  But I may have 
forgotten
to mention that it was in the context of the FBI."

     Scully blushed.  "Are you trying to tell me that my doctor thinks
we're lovers?"

     Mulder shrugged.  "It was the best I could come up with."

     "You could have always just asked." Scully suggested.

     "Yeah, so I could be told to mind my own business and that you
were 'fine'.  Don't try and deny it.  You said it only two minutes 
ago.  I can't help being over-protective, Scully.  I care about you."
Scully smiled at him, but his next statement caused her exasperation
to return.  "And it's because I care about you that we're going to 
Africa.  Come on Scully, it'll be a nice trip to the forest."  He
grinned.

     "Yeah, and just look what happened the last time you said that."

     "Seriously though, Scully, this is important.  You said yourself
that there isn't anything much that science can do for you here.  And
you heard what Byers said.  This looks like our only chance."

     "Mulder, even if I had proof that this would work.  Even if I 
was prepared to let some crack witch-doctor pump me full of only God
knows what, I can't just vanish for six months.  What about my job?
What about the Bureau?  Have you thought about that?  And what the
Hell am I supposed to tell my mother?  She's furious as it is because
I told you about the cancer before I told her.  Now what am I
supposed to say to her?  'By the way Mom, I'm just going to vanish for
six months, chasing some elusive miracle cure which may or may not
exist.'  I'm sure that would go down really well."

     "Christ, Scully,"  Mulder really wanted to shake some sense into
her.  "This isn't about your mother or your job.  The Bureau can go
to Hell for all I care.  This is about your *life*, and that's more
important than anything else."

     Scully regarded him tiredly.  "You're not going to give up, 
are you?"

     "Nup," he told her cheerfully.

     "Well, I still need to think about it some more." she insisted.

     "Okay," he said, pulling up a chair and making himself at home.

     "Mulder, you are not going to sit there while I think about it."

     "I'm not?" he asked.

     "No, you are going to go home and get some rest.  And then if
I decide to go on this crazy trip, at least you'll be able to drive
me to the airport without falling asleep at the wheel."

     "No, it'd be better to get a cab." he replied.

     "Mulder, if you're going to persuade me to go on some crazy
African trek, the least you can do is give me a lift to the airport."

     "Well, of course.  I'll get a cab to pick me up, then swing
by your place.  I just didn't want to have to leave my car in the
airport carpark for six months." he explained.

     Confusion crossed Scully's brow.  "Why would you have to leave
your car there for six months?" she asked.  Suddenly the light
dawned.  "Mulder, you're not planning on coming with me?" she
asked, shocked that he would even think of such a thing.

     He looked at her with equal amazement.  "You didn't really think
I was going to let you go on your own, did you?"  The look on her
face showed him that was exactly what she had thought, and he ran a
hand absentmindedly through his hair, making it stand on end like
a rooster's comb.  "Scully, you have cancer.  Yes, this Robina
woman may have a way to cure it, and that is why I want to go to
Africa.  But, as much as I may like Byers and to some extent trust
his judgement, these people are strangers and it could be dangerous."

     "Mulder, I am a grown woman and an FBI Agent.  I am perfectly
capable of looking after myself." she told him.

     "Believe me, I know very well that you're a grown woman." Mulder 
said, looking at her suggestively and conveniently ignoring the main 
part of her statement.  Scully rolled her eyes.  "But I meant what
I said," he continued.  "If you don't want to go, then that's your
decision.  We'll just find some other way.  But if you are going,
and I hope you decide to, then I am too."  He started to move
towards the door, and Scully followed him.  He paused in the
doorway of her apartment.  "Think about it, Dana, and I'll come
back tonight so you can tell me what you've decided.  But
remember, going alone is not an option."  He bent down and lightly
brushed her cheek with his lips, then was gone before she had a 
chance to comment on the kiss or the fact that he'd used her first
name.  Scully closed the door and stepped back into her apartment.  
Her hand came up to touch her face where Mulder's lips had been so 
recently.  She wondered momentarily if he could possibly share the 
same more-than-friendly feelings which she had for him, but decided 
it was probably just that he was worried about her.  Pushing further 
speculation aside, she collapsed onto her couch.  Dana Katherine 
Scully had some serious thinking to do.



Scully's Apartment
5:50 p.m.

     When Scully didn't answer his gentle knock, Mulder let himself
into her apartment with his key.  He'd hoped she'd have taken his
advice and got some extra sleep and as he moved quietly into her
apartment he discovered that this was indeed the case.  Scully lay
curled up on the couch, her chest gently rising and falling, and
Mulder felt a wave of tenderness overtake him as he listened to the
soft noises she made while she was sleeping.  His urge to protect
his tiny, beautiful partner had always been strong, even though he
knew she was perfectly able to defend herself, and was actually a
better shot than he was.  He supposed it came with the territory
of loving her.  For he'd acknowledged some time ago that he was in
love with his partner, but was mostly able to consign it to the 
back of his mind.  He'd bring it out whenever he was feeling 
particularly upset or depressed and he'd indulge in daydreams about 
living with Dana, about making love with her, and waking up with her 
every morning.  He sat down in an armchair and watched her sleeping.
He could almost see the children they would have together.  One of
the Kurt Crawford clones had explained to him that since Scully had
only been taken one time, she still had some ova left.  Mulder
certainly planned to put them to good use.  He wondered if their
children would have red hair or brown and what colour their eyes
would be.  He sure as Hell hoped they got Scully's nose.  He frowned
as he remembered being teased in the school playground for a nose
that seemed way too big for his face back then.  'I'd just like to 
see anyone try teasing my kids,' he thought, then laughed at
himself for feeling protective of children who didn't even exist
yet.  'Yet,' he told himself happily, definitely liking the way
that sounded.  Maybe some time to get away from the restraints of
the FBI was just what they needed.  If they were going to end up
practically living together for the next six months, he'd at
least be able to find out if Dana returned any of his feelings.
Sometimes, she'd get a strange look in her eye, and he could
almost swear that his emotions were shared, but by necessity
they'd both become adept at hiding how they felt, and he still
wasn't sure if he was imagining it.

     Just then, Scully woke up, putting an abrupt end to his
speculations.  She sat up yawning, and shivered as she realised
how much the temperature had dropped since she'd lain down for
a quick nap.

     "Cold?" Mulder asked, and Scully's head snapped round to
catch sight of him looking very comfortable in her armchair.

     "A little." she replied.

     "I hear Africa's very nice this time of year." he offered
tentatively.

     "Okay," was Scully's simple response.

     "Okay?  You mean you'll go?" Mulder asked, grinning stupidly
at her.

     Scully smiled back and nodded.  Mulder leapt out of the chair
and pulled his partner up from hers, taking her in his arms and
swinging her around the room in an energetic impromptu waltz.
After a couple of minutes she collapsed laughing against his chest.
Her face was flushed, her eyes were dancing and Mulder thought
he'd never seen anything more enchanting.  She looked so lovely
that he really couldn't help himself.  'Just one quick kiss won't
hurt anyone' he rationalized.  Scully smiled up at him, and
Mulder moved down to capture her lips with his own.  He felt rather
than heard her sigh as she leaned into the kiss and what was
supposed to have been a gentle expression of affection became
something considerably more as their tongues invaded each other's
mouths.  Mulder could hardly believe that his dreams were coming
true.  His body positively thrummed with the electricity being
generated between them.  He buried one hand in the hair at the back
of her head and placed the other on the small of her back, pulling 
her even closer into him in an attempt to fuse the two of them 
completely into one entity.  Scully was not idle either.  As her 
tongue stroked and tasted Mulder's mouth, she ran her hands down 
his chest and onto his jean-clad thighs.  But when she began to move
them further, scarcely able to believe that her fantasies were
coming true, and wanting to feel the evidence of his arousal, she
found that his hands had come down to grip her wrists tightly and
that he was pushing her away from him.  Scully shot him a
questioning look and the desire which was clearly visible in her
eyes made him hold his breath in awe.  'Christ,' he thought,
'I can't believe what I'm about to do.'  But he knew it was the
right thing, which was why he said,

     "Scully, we can't do this right now."

     She was hurt for a moment, but as she took in his heavy
breathing and the fact that he had only said that they couldn't
do it 'right now', she understood.  The sense of chivalry that 
dictated to Mulder that he protect her from the suspects they
chased was now extending to protecting her from himself.  She
understood his motivation in not wanting to take this final step
during an emotionally vulnerable period for both of them, and at
least she knew now that he shared her feelings, but that didn't
stop her from experiencing intense frustration.

     Mulder watched her eyes and could see the range of emotions
running through her mind.  He was relieved when he finally saw
acceptance register there, and only slightly concerned about the
teasing glint that appeared.

     "Sure I can't change your mind about that, Agent Mulder?  I
promise I'll make it worth your while." she said suggestively.
Mulder gulped hard as his imagination was assaulted with exactly
what they could be doing, but he had made a resolution and he
intended to stick with it.  No matter how hard, 'oh oh, not a good
choice of word' he thought, No matter how difficult it was.  'Yes,
that was better.'

     Mulder looked at her warmly.  Not only were they close to
finding a cure for Scully's cancer, but his dreams of having more
than a professional relationship with her were coming true as well.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Dana Katherine Scully." he told
her.  "But right now we have to get packing."

     She looked at him, confused.  "Right now?" Scully asked.

     "Well the flight is tomorrow morning."  Mulder told her.  "I
wouldn't think you'd want to leave your packing much longer."

     "Tomorrow morning?!"  Scully screeched.  "Not only do you want
me to pack up and leave my life for six months, but you want me to
do it in the space of a couple of hours?"  She started pacing the
room, worried lines forming on her forehead, and when Mulder laid
a hand gently on her shoulder, she nearly jumped through the roof.

     "Relax, Scully.  I've taken care of it." he told her.

     "Mulder, you don't understand.  There are things I have to
organise.  People I have to tell.  This is impossible."

     "Okay, let's look at this rationally.  You go through the list
of things you have to do before we can go, and we'll sort them out."

     Scully flopped down on the couch, and Mulder sat next to her,
watching her expectantly.

     "Okay, well first I'd have to tell my mother." she said.

     "Already taken care of." Mulder countered.  "I went to see her
this morning while you were sleeping."  He took Scully's hands in his
and looked at her gently.  "She told me that she dreamt about
Melissa.  And that she said that we'd find the cure for your
cancer somewhere across the seas."

     Scully leaned against the back of the couch as Mulder watched
concernedly.  She seemed to be processing what she'd heard.

     "I told your Mom you'd call her tonight." he offered, and was
relieved when Scully smiled.

     "Alright, but there are other things too."  Mulder held up a hand
to stop her from continuing.

     "How about if I tell you everything I've organised, and then you
can see if there's anything I've left out."

     Scully nodded acquiescence and Mulder began.

     "Okay.  Notified Skinner who organised sick leave for you and
overdue vacation time for me.  Organised airline tickets and got 
last-minute visas from someone who owes me a favour.  Called your 
friend Ellen to tell her you couldn't baby-sit your godson for the 
next six months.  Told your landlord you'd be away for a while and 
paid the rent.  Packed my own suitcase," he said gesturing towards 
where it stood by the door, "and, went shopping with your mother."  
With this he grabbed the shopping bags which were also sitting in the 
doorway, and carried them into Scully's bedroom, dropping them on the 
bed. "So did I forget anything?" he asked, grinning at the shocked 
look on her face.

     Scully recovered quickly.  "Mulder, if you can be this 
organised, why on earth are the filing cabinets in the office always 
in such a mess?" she asked, smiling to let him know that she was only 
teasing him and was actually impressed by what he'd managed to 
accomplish in the course of the day.

     "Now what would be the fun of always knowing where everything
was?  This way when you go into those cabinets, you never know what
you might find," he responded, only just managing to keep a straight
face as Scully raised one eyebrow at him.

     "And you went shopping with my Mom?" she continued, incredulously.
"What did she have to bribe you with to get you to agree to that?"

     Mulder blushed as he remembered one of their clothing purchases
which wasn't exactly suitable junglewear but which Mrs Scully had
insisted on buying for Scully when she'd caught Mulder staring at.
Scully looked at him suspiciously, but decided not to call him on it
just yet.

     "Well I'm surprised to say that you seem to have covered
everything after all." she told him, and Mulder smiled complacently.
"Now what?" she asked.

     Mulder reclined on the couch, reaching for the remote control.
"Now you pack while I watch TV and order a pizza."

     Scully did as he said, walking across to her bedroom and still 
shaking her head in wonderment at the new side of Mulder which was
being revealed to her.  She glanced back at the couch only to see
him already absorbed in whatever he was watching, and wondered at
how calm he could be when they were about to face huge changes in
their lives, whereas she was doing nothing but worry about it.  But
pushing this to the back of her mind for the present, Scully pulled
out her suitcase and began to rummage through the clothes that
Mulder and her Mom had spent the afternoon buying for her.



Scully's Apartment
Saturday 6:30

     Scully was almost through packing when she heard a knock at the
door.  Two minutes later, Mulder yelled out, "Scully, pizza's here."

     "There in a minute, Mulder." she yelled back, as she mentally
went over what she had packed, trying to think if there was anything
she had forgotten.  Her gaze fell on the item of clothing that had
obviously been making Mulder blush earlier.  Heat suffused her body
as she imagined wearing it for him, but the sensible little voice 
in her head reminded her that thinking lustful thoughts about her
PARTNER was not a good idea.  Scully's sensible side was usually
dominant, but since she'd impulsively decided to run off into the 
African jungle with Mulder for six months, its power had definitely
been diminishing.  'And besides' she thought, 'he's not even my
partner anymore.  At least not for the next six months.  And who
knows what's going to happen after that.'  Before she could lose
her nerve, Scully slipped out of her jeans and into Mulder's gift.

     When Scully didn't appear after a couple of minutes, Mulder
called out again.  "Scully, pizza's going cold."

     "I'm here." she replied calmly.  "I was just looking at the
present you got me."

     Mulder grinned to himself and took another swallow of iced tea
before he turned around to look at her.  He'd expected her to be
holding the lacy black camisole that he'd bought, but when he
saw that she was wearing it, his eyes widened and he started to choke.
Scully rushed to him quickly, her expression filled with concern,
and helped him sit back down, taking the iced tea out of his hands
and leaning back across the couch to make sure he was okay.

     "Mulder, are you okay?" she asked worriedly, placing one hand
on his forehead as he looked slightly flushed.  But she realised that
her medical skills were not what was required here as soon as Mulder
reached out and pulled her into his lap.  She settled into him
comfortably, wrapping her legs around his waist and looking at him
seductively.  "Mulder, you didn't answer me." she purred.  "Are
you sure you're feeling okay now?"  She rubbed against him just to
make her point.

     Mulder was finally able to reply.  "You want to know if I'm
alright?" he asked incredulously.  "What are you doing wearing that
thing?  Trying to give me a heart-attack or something?"

     "But Mulder," Scully replied in a mock-innocent tone, "you
gave it to me.  I thought you'd want me to wear it."

     'Want was right' Mulder thought to himself as he looked at the
slim, creamy legs which were wrapped around him.  The camisole only
came down to mid-thigh, and the only time Mulder had seen more of
Scully's skin was on their very first case together.  He raised his
head slowly, taking in the remainder of the view which was set before 
him.  His hands had come to rest on either side of her waist, and 
he could feel the heat of her body through the lace.  Looking higher, 
his eyes finally fell upon the swell of her breasts, lovingly encased
in the embroidered garment.  Mulder bit his lip as he looked at her.  
'Perfect.  She's so perfect.' he thought.

     Scully couldn't believe how turned on she was getting just from
watching Mulder look at her.  "See anything you like?" she tempted,
placing her hands on his chest, and shifting her lower body against
his.

     "God, yeah." Mulder moaned.

     "Good," Scully said, starting to unbutton his shirt.

     Mulder breathed in deeply and moved his hands to cover hers,
effectively preventing her from continuing.  "Scully, I thought we
already discussed this."

     Scully reluctantly slid off Mulder's lap.  "You're turning me
down again?" she queried.  "You're going to give me a complex, you
know." she told him, but it was said with humour and Mulder knew
that she wasn't really mad.

     "Look, Scully, you've just made a big decision and we have an
early flight in the morning.  I really think you should get some
sleep."

     "Yeah, okay Mulder, you're probably right.  I do feel pretty
tired.  I think I'll just go straight to bed."

     "So you're, ah, going to wear that to bed, then?" Mulder asked,
trying to be casual about it.

     "No, I don't think so." she told him.

     "Oh." Mulder said, sounding disappointed.

     Scully smiled wickedly.  "It's pretty warm in here with the
heating on," she told him, "so I don't think I'll wear anything.  
'Night Mulder.  Pleasant dreams."

     Mulder groaned and covered his head with his hands.  'No prizes
for guessing what I'll be dreaming about tonight.' he thought.

End Part 1.

"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 2 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)



Luanda Airport
Angola, Africa
Monday 1 a.m.

     "Scully, I have already told you four times that I don't know
anything more than that.  We were supposed to meet Robina in the
arrivals area at 9:30 p.m.  I don't know why she didn't turn up.
I don't know where she is now.  All I know is that I'm tired, hungry
and bored."

     "Oh gee, well I'm sorry I don't have anything to entertain you
with." Scully replied sarcastically.  "But I was under the impression
that this trip was your idea in the first place."

     "Maybe so, but it's for your benefit.  I didn't turn my life
upside down and drag myself half way across the world for the fun of
it." he told her.

     "Well if that's how you feel, why the Hell don't you just get
on the next flight and go back home!" Scully yelled at him.

     Mulder jumped out of his chair and stalked across the room.  He
was not going to get angry with her.  They were both tired, cranky,
and frustrated but he wasn't going to give in to it.  He took
several deep breaths and then returned to face her.

     "Look, Dana.." he started to say, but was interrupted.

     "Don't you 'Dana' me.  You've made it perfectly clear that you're
only doing this out of pity and some outdated sense of obligation.
Go home!  I don't want you!  I don't need you!  You probably wouldn't
even care if I died anyway.  I mean what did you do last time you
thought I was dead?  You slept with a goddamned murder suspect.  I
mean nothing to you, so why are you here?.."  Scully stopped mid-tirade
as she heard a choking sound coming from Mulder, and was shocked to
see the tears running down his face.  She looked into his eyes and
was shocked at the depths of emotion registered there.  He looked
like he'd lost his best friend.  Which was exactly what he thought
he had done.  The anger drained from her as quickly as it had
developed.  She wasn't really furious with Mulder, she was simply
enraged by the lack of control she felt because of the cancer.
Mulder was just the handiest person to take it out on, and now she'd
gone and hurt him.  She moved to his side quickly, but he flinched
and drew away from her to sit on one of the plastic airport chairs.

     Scully tried again, moving to sit down next to him.  "Mulder,
I'm sorry.  I didn't mean it."  She tentatively placed her hand on
his arm, hoping he wouldn't push her away, even though she deserved
it.

     "I'm fine, Scully." he insisted, and frowned when he heard her
laughing.  He looked at her, and she thought she saw a trace of
humour in his eyes again.

     "Yeah right you're fine.  You're stuck in the middle of nowhere
with your best friend who's being a complete bitch.  Why wouldn't
you be fine?"

     "Okay.  I'm not fine.  Sometimes I need you with an intensity that
scares me and I don't think I could bear it if you didn't want me
around anymore.  I could never wish that you weren't here, and I'm
sorry if sometimes I come off as an insensitive jerk.  But I do care
Scully.  I promise you that I do."

     Scully gently wiped the tears from his face and then kissed his
cheek.  "Oh Mulder, I care too.  I was lying when I said that I
didn't want you.  I do.  You mean more to me than anything."  She
clasped his hands in hers, and was about to continue, when both
realised that a woman was standing next to them and had been for the
last couple of minutes.

     Their eyes met worriedly as they tried to decide what to do.
They'd had to leave their guns at home and neither of them felt very
comfortable about the fact.  But as the woman cleared her throat again
and looked at them pointedly, Mulder realised that his paranoia was
so ingrained that he had failed to realise that this was more likely
to be Robina rather than one of the Consortium's agents.

     His suspicions were proved to be correct as she stepped towards
them and introduced herself.  "Robina O'Brien.  Call me Robbie.  You
must be Ms. Scully and Mr. Mulder.  Byers told me all about you.
Sorry I'm late, I had more trouble getting transport back than I'd
thought I would.  Got your bags.  Good.  Let's go."

     Mulder and Scully had been unable to get a word in edgewise, but
didn't really mind because they felt so relieved that they were not to
be left to fend for themselves in this unfamiliar country.  Shouldering
their bags, they hurried quickly after Robina who was already striding
towards the exit of the airport.

     As they stepped out of the airport, both agents found themselves
shielding their eyes from the bright sunlight.

     "Wow, this is much nicer than Washington." Scully commented.  "I'm
feeling better already."

     "Well if I'd known all you wanted was a bit of sun I would have
taken you to Hawaii, Scully.  Sun, sand, tropical drinks, girls in
bikinis.  Definitely higher on my list of fantasies than trekking in
some African rainforest with only you and the bugs for company."
Mulder smiled as he spoke to make sure Scully knew that he was only
kidding.

     "Like I said, last time we went walking in the forest the bugs
decided that we were dinner.  And I still haven't forgiven you for 
getting us quarantined for a month after that, so I suggest that you 
don't keep bringing it up!"

     "Scully, I'm offended, you didn't like spending a month locked
in a bedroom with me?"  His low, intimate tone sent shivers down her
spine.  "'Cause I'm available any time you want to repeat the
experience."

     Scully regarded him quizzically then replied, "Let's not forget
who was turning who down last night."  Mulder stood staring after her
as she crossed to the jeep in which Robina was sitting and tapping her
fingers impatiently.  Mulder shook his head in an effort to get his
thoughts back on track.  This trip was not supposed to be a fantasy
out of one of his special videos.  They were here to find a cure for
Scully's cancer and nothing else.  But he had to admit that he was
seeing a side of Scully that he had always suspected existed but
never really thought he'd get to see for himself.  And Scully as a
sexual predator was getting to be too much of a turn-on for his peace
of mind.  He didn't know how long he'd be able to resist her, and he
sure as Hell didn't want to in the first place.  He was just afraid
that Scully's motivation for this sudden desire to develop their
relationship was due more to her fears about cancer and dying than
based on love for her partner.  He didn't want a relationship between
them to be relegated to the same place as Ed Jerse and getting a tattoo,
and it was for that reason that he was still trying to maintain the
boundaries in their relationship that were slipping away.  He didn't
want a romantic relationship with Scully until they were both sure it
was exactly what they wanted without the threats of imminent danger
and death hanging over their heads.  'Hopefully I'll be able to 
maintain a bit of distance at the camp.' he thought.  'Scully will
probably be wrapped up in whatever treatments are planned for her
and with any luck the last thing she'll be thinking about is sex.'



Monday 7 a.m.
On the way to Kirundu

     Robbie glanced into the back of the jeep to check on Mulder and
Scully and saw that they were both still sleeping peacefully.  Scully
was lying on Mulder's shoulder and at some point he had draped his
arm around her shoulders to support her and hold her against him.
Robbie thought they made a very sweet couple but frowned when she
remembered that Byers had been insistent that they weren't involved.
The tender scene that she'd interrupted in the airport had certainly
looked like something that would only pass between lovers, but she'd
learnt before now that appearances could be deceiving.  She'd
have plenty of time over the next few months to get to know them
and gauge the level of their relationship.  As she watched them in
the rearview mirror, Mulder moved in his sleep, pulling Scully closer
to him and tightening his grip on her until she was draped half
across his lap.  Robbie turned her gaze back to the road.  At the
age of fifty she was hardly old enough to be either of their mothers,
but already she was feeling a distinctly maternal desire to protect
and help them in whatever way she could.  'Ah Robbie, you sentimental
thing you,' she thought to herself, 'getting too attached to these two
is not a good idea when you know they're going to be leaving in six
months.  Your job is simply to help Dana Scully with her cancer and
to but out of the rest of their lives.  And I don't even want to hear
about those match-making plans circulating in that head of yours.  This
is none of your business and I want it to stay that way.'  She chuckled
as she realised that she was carrying on conversations with herself
yet again.  She loved her lifestyle, but she was the first to admit
that it could get a bit lonely at times.  But being able to help
people made up for a lot of that, and when she particularly missed
being around people she knew well she'd take a quick trip back to the
US.  This was doubly convenient for it allowed her to pick up
necessary supplies, and the occasional patient that she was trying to
help as a favour for a friend.  Byers had been exactly that over the
years and she only hoped that although it had been too late for
his wife, that this time she'd be able to help his friend Dana Scully.
She was still musing on the past as she pulled into the base camp
from which she and the two agents were to commence the next part of
their journey.  She wondered exactly how much Byers had told them
about the journey to the camp, and if he hadn't explained it in
detail, exactly how she was going to break the news to them that the
next part of the journey couldn't be taken in the jeep.



Kirundu Base Camp
Monday 10 a.m.

     "We have to ride a what?" Mulder yelled with astonishment.

     Robbie tried to respond calmly.  "Mr. Mulder, I assure you that it 
is a perfectly safe form of transport.  These elephants have been
trained carefully and are very tame."

     "This is ridiculous.  Scully, don't you think this is ridiculous?"
He turned to look for her and saw that she had approached one of the
elephants and was stroking its trunk and talking to it gently.  Mulder
strode over to her angrily and Robbie followed.  "Scully, I refuse to
ride one of these beasts."

     "Come on Mulder, don't be such a sissy.  I think they're kind of
sweet."  The elephant seemed to approve of Scully's comment for it 
patted her gently on the head with its trunk, much to her delight.

     "See Mr. Mulder, even Ms. Scully isn't worried by the idea."
Robbie told him.

     "Please call me Dana," Scully interrupted, "and you can call this
grouch Mulder."

     "Okay, well Mulder, the only alternative to riding an elephant
is walking, and provided that you don't get lost or attacked by wild
animals, that would take you at least 2 weeks.  On an elephant, the
journey only takes 3 days, so I suggest you resign yourself to the
fact that you are about to become intimately acquainted with an
elephant."  With the end of this diatribe, she strode off to ensure
that the supplies were being packed correctly and would be ready for
their departure in a couple of hours.

     "Scully, I really don't like this idea." Mulder whined.

     "Whyever not, Mulder.  After serial killers and flukemen, I would
have thought that riding an elephant would be a breeze.  Haven't you
had any dealings with elephants before?" she inquired mischievously.

     Mulder leaned in closer, "And just what are you implying with that
remark, Dana Scully?"

     She smiled enigmatically.  "It's just that Babu seems to have taken
a fancy to you."

     Mulder frowned.  "What do you mean?" he asked.  But before Scully
could respond, Mulder suddenly found himself with a trunk wrapped round
his middle and being lifted into the air.

     "Ahhh," he screeched, "Scully, help me."

     She stood on the ground laughing at him.  "Mulder, was that a 
girlie scream?"

     Babu placed Mulder on her back and removed her trunk from around
his waist.  On the ground, Scully raised her hand to pat Babu again.
"There's a good elephant." Scully told her.

     "Scully, I want to get down."  Mulder told her firmly, balanced
precariously as he was on the elephant's back.

     "Sorry Mulder, Robbie didn't tell me the command for down." she
explained.

     Mulder's brain was whirring overtime.  "Well what's the command
for up?" he asked.

     "Oh that's easy," Scully replied, "you just move your hand like
this and then..."  Before she could say anymore, Scully found herself
being lifted in turn and placed on Babu's back.  "Mulder," she yelled,
pounding him in the shoulder, "you did that on purpose."

     He smirked in a self-satisfied way.  "If I'm being forced to ride
an elephant, then you are too." he told her.  "Now let's see if we
can figure out how to get this thing moving."

     "I thought you didn't like elephants." Scully said.

     "Yeah, well, Babu's growing on me." he told her as he wrapped an
arm around her waist, and kicked Babu lightly in the side.  To his
satisfaction, Babu began to lumber off in the general direction that
Robbie had taken.

     "Um, Mulder, don't you think we should have learned how to stop
and turn before we set off?" she asked.

     "You mean Robbie didn't teach you those commands either?" he
asked with slight concern.

     "I was only talking to her for two minutes before you joined us,"
Scully asserted, "so I'm basically as inexperienced in elephant
navigation as you are."

     "Oh well, we'll figure something out." Mulder told her 
reassuringly,
but tightening his hold around her waist just in case.

     As it turned out, they didn't have anything to worry about.  Babu
was obviously well-trained enough to know inexperienced drivers when
she saw them, so when she reached the edge of the camp, she sank to
the ground which enabled Mulder and Scully to dismount.  They both did
so hurriedly before she could change her mind, but Babu displayed no
signs of being temperamental, and simply wandered back over to stand
in the shade of the trees, swishing the occasional fly off her back
with her tail.

     "Well that was an experience." Scully offered.

     Mulder still looked slightly shaken.  Scully suspected that the
bravado he had shown while they were actually on the elephant's back
had been for her benefit, so she suggested that they sit down and wait
for Robbie to come back.  Mulder seemed unwilling to comply until she
insisted that she was actually feeling quite worn out, whereupon he
acquiesced immediately.  They sat down in the shade just a few
meters away from the jeep and leant back against a tree.  They'd
had several hours sleep in the jeep on the way to the camp, but that
still hadn't made up for what they'd missed on the plane and in
the airport, so within a few minutes, both were fast asleep again.

    When Robbie came back to check on them again she smiled to herself.
'Gonna have to cure them of that habit.' she thought.  With everything
she had planned for the next few months, spending half the time
sleeping was simply not an option.  But for the moment, she let them
be.  They looked so peaceful sleeping there, somehow managing to
gravitate towards each other even in slumber.  Robbie sighed at the
picture they made, and then returned to the compound to oversee the
last of the preparations which had to be made before their departure.



End Part 2.

"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 3 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)



Licasi Trail (On the way to Tenke encampment)
Monday 5 p.m.

     Robbie had decided that Mulder and Scully would share an elephant,
she would take one, and the third would be used to carry the supplies.
Both Mulder and Scully were secretly relieved that they would be
together, for Mulder was still rather phased by the whole idea, and
even Scully was a little concerned after their earlier abortive
attempt.  But Robbie had been very reassuring, and after several
hours of travelling in this way, they had become accustomed to its
rolling gait and were actually quite enjoying this new mode of
transport.  Mulder had been slightly worried that he might suffer
from motion sickness, but so far this did not seem to be the case
and both agents were happily undergoing their first experience of the
African jungle.

     But unfortunately this complacent mood was not to last for long.
Mulder had his arms wrapped around Scully's waist again, and suddenly
he felt a drop of something wet land on his hand.  Glancing at it
quickly he realised that it was blood.  Scully's blood.  His arms
tightened around her convulsively as he pulled her back against him
to take a look at her nose.  Scully realised what was happening and
touched her hand to her nose, frowning as it came away red.  She
hadn't had a nosebleed in a while, and this was an unpleasant
reminder of exactly why they were trekking through the middle of
Africa.  She searched her pocket and discovered that she had forgotten
to bring a tissue with her.

     "Mulder, do you have a tissue?" she asked him.

     "Um, yeah, just a minute." he told her, mentally commanding
himself to stay calm and not panic.  He couldn't quite get at his
pocket from the angle at which he was sitting, and in his anxiety
about Scully, he forgot that Robbie had counseled them against
trying to stand on the elephant's back.  Scully didn't realise what
he was doing until it was too late.  The elephant which they had
been allocated was not quite as calm as Babu, and it certainly didn't
take well to Mulder trying to ride in a standing position.  Raising
its trunk and trumpeting loudly, their elephant decided to show its
displeasure by making a run for it.  Mulder sat down hard, and the
elephant took off down the trail, Mulder and Scully clinging to it
and each other for dear life.

     They bounced up and down as the elephant continued its headlong
pace along the trail and Mulder became aware that Scully was trying
to tell him something.

     "What is it, Scully? I can't hear you." he yelled, trying to make
himself heard over the noise of bushes being trampled and the
elephant's feet pounding along the ground.

     Scully leaned back against Mulder and yelled, "You told me this
would be a nice trip to the forest!"

     Mulder grinned.  'Only Scully could joke at a time like this.'
he thought.

     They both looked ahead and suddenly saw a waterhole coming up
very fast.  'Oh no' ran through both of their heads at the same
time, only seconds before the elephant stopped short, catapulting
both of them over its head and into the water.

     Mulder got up first, blowing water out of his nose and shaking
himself like a wet dog as he reached out a hand to help Scully.
She grabbed his hand, but instead of using it to pull herself up, 
yanked on it hard so that Mulder fell back down into the water.

     "What'd you do that for?" he whined.

     She looked over at him speculatively, noting that the tight
material of his wet t-shirt accentuated the taut muscles of his
chest.  "Maybe I like you wet." she told him.

     "Oh yeah," he countered, "well I have to tell you, Scully, but
you win the wet t-shirt competition hands down."

     She looked down at herself and blushed as she noticed that her
nipples were clearly visible through the material of her white shirt.
'What was I thinking anyway,' she wondered, 'wearing a white shirt
for a trek in the jungle?'  She looked up at Mulder and saw him
looking at her with an expression of undisguised hunger in his eyes,
and knew that he was seeing the same in hers.

     "Very nice, Scully." he whispered throatily, as he stretched out
his hand and circled a nipple with one finger.  She moaned as he moved
his hand to cup her breast, but before it could go any further they
heard a crashing noise in the jungle and hurriedly sprang apart.  A
few seconds later, Robbie emerged from the forest with the other
two elephants.

     Mulder was then forced to undergo a lengthy scolding for his 
foolish behaviour, which he endured with commendable patience.
Once remounted, they continued on their way, and Scully was relieved
to see that in all the excitement, her nosebleed had been forgotten,
and she wasn't going to have to deal with the usual angst and
self-reproach that Mulder put himself through every time it
happened.


Camp Site
Monday 7 p.m.

     Robbie had decided that they would pitch camp only another hour
along the track because she really didn't think she could cope with
any further disasters.  Leaving Mulder and Scully to pitch the tents,
she busied herself taking care of the elephants and then organising
dinner.  Just as she was finishing cooking the sausages, Mulder
and Scully approached.  They seated themselves near the campfire
and thankfully grasped the mugs of hot soup that Robbie had prepared.

     After a couple of minutes silence, Mulder spoke, "Er, Robbie,
we could only find two tents."

     "Well," she replied brightly, "that would probably be because
I only brought two."  She glanced up at them.  "I figured that since
the two of you will be living together for the next six months, you
might as well start now."

     Scully choked on her soup when she heard this, and Mulder was
forced to thwack her hard on the back until she recovered.

     "When you say living together...." Scully asked, "What exactly
do you mean?"

     "Huh, I guess Byers didn't tell you about that either, did he?
I'm going to have to have a talk to that boy the next time I see
him."  She looked at the couple who were regarding her with some
perturbation.  "You see, in the Watangi Tribe, the family divisions
are kind of blurred.  Everyone looks out for everyone else, if you
know what I mean.  Children only live with their parents until they're
about 7 years old, and after that, they come to live in communal
buildings.  The girls are supervised by female elders who ensure that
they receive proper educations and training in the ways of the tribe,
and the same happens with the boys, only supervised by some of the
chief men of course.  They're educated separately, but are allowed
to socialise freely with the opposite sex outside of schooling, eating
and sleeping.  In their late teens, marriage ensues, and then the
cycle repeats itself."

     "I don't know," Mulder said sceptically, "it sounds too
organised to be realistic."

     "Well, I think you'll find that it's more relaxed than you
expect."  Robbie replied.  "The Watangi is actually one of the more 
progressive tribes.  Some of the others still refuse to have any
contact with those outside of their society.  But the Watangi
recognise that mingling with outsiders is a necessary and even
valuable part of life.  I hope you two can come to accept this.  
You might find things a little strange at first, but everyone's
friendly, and they're perfectly willing to welcome you in, as long
as you trust them too."  She noticed Mulder frowning and gave him
a speculative look.

     Scully answered for him.  "Mulder has a bit of an issue with
trust.  Actually, we both do.  We've had people we thought were 
helping us turn on us in the past, and I guess it's just made us a
little...cautious."

     "I understand, dear." Robbie told her.  "It's not always easy
to trust people.  But you've come this far on faith, so the hard
part's over.  And we're really very easy to live with.  I'm sure both
of you will fit in just fine."

     Mulder still didn't look too convinced, but he decided to keep
his doubts to himself.  A comfortable silence ensued as Robbie
served the food.  Scully took the time to really look around her.
While they'd been riding the elephant, most of her concentration had
been focused on making sure she didn't fall of the animal, and she
hadn't had time to properly take in her surroundings.  But now
she began to appreciate the beauty of the situation.  The night
was wonderfully clear, and she could see thousands of tiny stars
dotting the heavens.  With so many to choose from, Scully could almost
believe that maybe there was life out there after all, and smiled
as she imagined Mulder's look of self-satisfaction if she told him
that she believed after all.

     "What?" he asked softly, seeing her smiling to herself.

     "Nothing." Scully replied, shaking her head.  'The last thing he 
needs is more encouragement.' she thought.

     Robbie interrupted them.  "Sorry to break up a tender moment,"
she said, "but I never got around to explaining the living
arrangements to you.  I was pretty sure you wouldn't be comfortable
living in the barracks with the kids, so I organised a hut for you
to share."

     Mulder had looked slightly panicked at the thought of sharing
living quarters with a troop of teenaged boys, so he was very
relieved to hear this.

     "But..?" Scully continued.

     "How do you know there's going to be a but?" Mulder asked her.

     "There's always a but." she told him.

     They both looked to Robbie, who regarded them with amusement.
"Dana's right.  There is a but.  One thing that the tribe is not
tolerant of is close relationships between members of the
opposite sex.  Friendship is fine, but living together without
being married would be a definite no-no.  So, for all intents and
purposes, you two are going to be married for the next six months."
She looked at them to see what effect this announcement had on
them.  Mulder looked shell-shocked, and Scully seemed only slightly 
less worried, as she chewed on her bottom lip.

     Robbie hadn't quite expected this much reluctance.  She'd
guessed from the first that there was more to this relationship than
mere friendship, and she wasn't sure why they had such a problem
with this arrangement.  But deciding it wasn't her place to
interfere, she finished her dinner rapidly and after bidding them
goodnight, retired to her tent.  Accustomed as she was to sleeping
in almost any accommodations, she was already asleep by the time
Mulder and Scully made their way to their tent about half an hour
later.


Mulder and Scully's Tent
9:00 p.m.

     "You know I don't think I've been to bed this early since I was
12." Mulder whispered.

     "Why are you whispering." Scully asked.

     "I didn't want to wake up Robbie." he replied.

     "Mulder, the elephants are snoring loud enough to wake the dead.
If she's managing to sleep through that, then us talking is not
going to wake her."

     "Yeah, well, I'm kind of tired myself." Mulder said, yawning
ostentatiously.

     Scully raised one eyebrow.  "I thought you had insomnia."

     "Would you believe a miracle cure?  Jungle air and all that."
Mulder suggested.

     "We have to talk about this Mulder." Scully insisted.  "If we're
going to live together, certain ground rules are going to be set
out."

     "Like no hogging the blankets."

     "Be serious please." Scully requested firmly.

     "I am being serious." Mulder asserted.  "If they're giving us
accommodations for a married couple, you don't really think there
are going to be two beds, do you?  And there is no way I'm
sleeping on the floor for six months so you can get that thought
out of your head right now."

     "I'm sure we'll be able to cope with whatever sacrifices are
necessary.  We're sensible adults.  We'll just have to make
compromises." Scully said.

     "Well I'm not exactly counting sharing a bed with you as a
punishment." Mulder joked.

     Scully ignored this comment and continued.  "We've known
each other for more than four years.  We've shared rooms before.
This is no different."  

     'Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that,' she thought to 
herself, 'just because you're going to be sharing a *bed* for
the next six months with the man you're in love with.  Nothing
to worry about there at all.'

     "Although I feel I should warn you at this point, Scully, I
do have some of those annoying guy things." Mulder told her.

     "Annoying guy things?" Scully questioned, teasingly.  "I don't 
think I'm quite familiar with that terminology."  There wasn't 
enough light in the tent for Scully to see his face, but she could 
have sworn he was blushing with embarrassment.

     "You know.  Like leaving the toilet seat up.  And I have been
known to drink milk straight out of the carton."

     "Mulder, I grew up with two brothers.  These things don't
bother me anymore.  Not that there's likely to be either milk
cartons or toilet seats where we're going anyway." she replied.

     "Oh yeah, I didn't think of that."

     "Look, it can't be that hard.  People do it all the time." 
Scully said.

     "It?" Mulder asked.

     Scully sighed, exasperatedly.  "Live together, Mulder."

     "Right, just not us."

     "What do you mean?" Scully asked.

     "Well I know that I'm no good at long-term relationships, and
I haven't seen your live-in lover lately either."

     "Oh you mean Luke.  He's around here somewhere." she joked.

     "Ha ha.  But have you ever really tried living with someone on a 
day-to-day basis?" Mulder questioned.

     "No, not actually living with someone.  You met Jack Willis, he was
my last serious relationship.  But even then.  No."

     "Me neither." Mulder replied.

     Scully frowned.  "What about Phoebe?"

     "We tried.  She wanted to move into my lodgings, so she carted all
her stuff over, and then after less than two days, she stormed out
again."

     "You're kidding." Scully said.

     "Nup, I swear it's true.  Actually, that was part of what caused
our break-up.  I think I drove her so nuts in two days that she was
glad to be rid of me.  So consider yourself warned."

     "Is that a challenge Mulder?  'Cause you know I never refuse a
challenge."  She finished her statement with a large yawn, which
seemed to amuse Mulder.

     "Get some sleep, Scully.  We've got another long day of
elephant-riding ahead of us." he told her.

     "Don't remind me.  I never actually thought I'd miss those
wretched Tauruses but it's happening." Scully replied, then
settled down to sleep.

     Mulder settled down too, and found sleep in the African jungle
just as elusive as it was back on the worn, old couch in his apartment.
He watched Scully twist and turn for a while and was able to pinpoint
the exact time when her breathing relaxed and she drifted into sleep.
He lay watching her for a long time, thinking about what it was going
to be like living with her for the next six months.  Going to bed
with her every night and waking up together every morning.  The more
he thought about it, the less he actually worried.  As he finally
drifted off to sleep, he'd come to the conclusion that it was probably
a pretty good idea after all.  He knew he wanted a romantic
relationship with Scully, and he was pretty sure now that she felt the
same way, so in a way, this would be a practice for their future
relationship.  If it was an absolute disaster, then maybe they'd still
be able to walk away with their hearts intact.  'Yeah right, Mulder,
who are you kidding?  You know damned well that you lost your heart
to Dana Scully years ago and there's no way to get it back.' he thought 
to himself.  But maybe, just maybe, this whole arrangement would work
out better than either of them had expected, and if that happened,
the future could only hold better things for both of them.


End of Part 3.

For Disclaimer etc. please see part 1

"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 4 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)


Tenke, home of the Watangi Tribe
3:00 p.m. Thursday

     When they finally arrived at the place that was to be their
home for the next six months, Mulder and Scully were too tired to
want to do anything other than collapse into bed.

     "Who would have thought sitting on an elephant for three days
would have been so damned exhausting?" Mulder complained.

     "Yeah, well just be thankful that you're not the elephant."
Scully retorted.

     "Are you trying to tell me that you wouldn't love me if I was
big, fat and smelly?" he quipped.

     "And the difference between that and now would be what exactly?"
Scully countered teasingly.

     "If I wasn't too tired to move you'd be in trouble for that
remark, Dana Katherine Scully."

     "Ooohh, I'm so scared.  The elephant man's after me."

     Mulder tried very hard to formulate a response, but discovered
somewhere during the process that he was simply too tired to even
speak any more.

     Fortunately for him, Robbie turned up at that moment and further
speaking was not required.

     "Alright you two, I can see that you're dead on your feet,
so I'll show you to your hut and you can meet everyone tomorrow."
she told them.

     Mulder and Scully trailed wearily after her to a hut on the other
side of the village.

     "Here we are."  Robbie announced.  "With all the comforts of home,
your fully-furnished jungle bungalow."

     Scully thought that 'bungalow' was a bit of an exaggeration, but
decided that such a comment wouldn't be appropriate.

     "Right at the moment, I couldn't care where I slept as long as it
had a bed."  Scully told her.  "Thanks for everything, we'll see you in
the morning."

     "Sure thing.  You just make sure you get plenty of rest."  Robbie
regarded Mulder for a moment.  He looked as though he might fall asleep
where he stood.  "I think he could use the break too."

     Scully smiled and watched Robbie stride back over to the main 
area of the village.  Then she glanced over to where Mulder was 
propping himself up against the doorjamb.  "Come on G-man, let's get
you into bed."

     "Why, Scully, I thought you'd never ask."

     Leaning on each other, they barely made it to the bed before
collapsing in a heap.

     "Night, Mulder."

     "Scully, it's the middle of the afternoon."

     "Sure.  Fine.  Whatever."  she replied.  Mulder's answering
chuckle was the last sound she heard before she drifted off into some
much-needed sleep.



Friday 9:00 a.m.

     Scully awakened slowly to find a pair of arms wrapped securely
around her and her head pillowed against a warm chest.  Mulder
shifted beneath her and she felt his stubble rasp against her cheek
as his breath tickled her ear.

     "I was beginning to think you'd never wake up." he informed her.

     Scully rolled over and promptly fell off the mattress onto the
floor.  Mulder regarded her bemusedly.  She stood up and tried to shove
him over to the other side of the bed.

     "Mulder, you're on my side of the bed." she insisted.

     "The bed has sides?" Mulder asked.

     "Of course the bed has sides.  All beds have sides." Scully 
affirmed.

     "And you're saying what?  That I'm banned from your side of the
bed?"

     "That's exactly what I'm saying." she insisted, climbing back
into bed on *her* side.

     Mulder regarded her with an appraising look that caused a
pleasurable feeling of tension to coil in her belly.

     "Well maybe I'll just have to see what I can do to change your
mind about that, Agent Scully."

     He began to tickle her gently, gradually becoming more
unrestrained as Scully convulsed on the bed beneath his hands.

     "Ahhh, Mulder," Scully managed to get out between her frantic
giggles, "stop, please.  You can have whatever you want."

     He stopped suddenly and looked down at Scully, flushed and happy
beneath him.

     "And what if I want you?" he asked, suddenly serious.

     "Mulder, you've already got me." was Scully's reply.  She
couldn't be sure but thought she saw a tear at the edge of his eye
before he leaned down and covered her mouth with his.  But before
their lips could do more than ever-so-gently press together, they
heard a noisy pounding on the door, and Mulder rolled off her
abruptly.

     Mulder hopped out of bed and answered the door, pouting
slightly when Robbie greeted him cheerfully.

     "Rise and shine lazybirds.  People to meet, things to do.  Up
and at 'em."

     Mulder groaned and with a muttered, "We'll be there soon,"
went back into their hut to get ready.



Medicine Man Sanga's Home
Friday 11:30 a.m.

     Mulder had given up on trying to follow the discussion when it
deteriorated into incomprehensible medical jargon, and he was now
standing in the doorway of the hut, watching a game of tag which
was taking place in the clearing in front of him.  He'd been
surprised to learn that most of the inhabitants of the village
actually spoke pretty good English.  Robina had been teaching
at the school for several years now and both Mulder and Scully
had volunteered to help too while they were there.  In addition,
Scully was going to take some first aid classes, and Mulder had
offered to teach self defense techniques to some of the older
children.  But what had surprised Mulder the most was the ease with
which he and Scully had been accepted into the tribe.  No-one 
seemed to find anything remotely strange in the fact that two
strangers had suddenly turned up in the middle of their lives,
and planned to stay for six months.

     "Hey Mulder, want to let me in on what's so fascinating about
that empty field."  Scully came up behind him and laid her hand on
his forearm.

     Mulder glanced up and noticed that the field had indeed emptied
of children while he'd been occupied with his thoughts.

     He looked at Scully, debating on whether to share his thoughts
with her, and deciding in the affirmative.  "I was thinking about
how easily these people trust.  They know practically nothing about
either of us, but we've been welcomed with open arms.  Sometimes
I just wish I could depend on people like that."

     'Oh Mulder.' Scully thought.  She couldn't count the number of
times that she'd wished she could take away his pain and 
disillusionment.  The only time he'd been particularly forthcoming
about his childhood was when he'd told her about Samantha on their
very first case together, but Scully suspected that Mulder's
innate sense of distrust went back further than the Consortium,
further than Phoebe and her mindgames, and was actually rooted in
the blame and abuse he had received after Samantha's abduction.

     Scully wrapped her arms around Mulder's waist and laid her 
head against his chest.  "I hope you know that you can trust me."
she told him.

     "Scully, you know that you're the only one I trust." he replied.

     "Same here, partner."

     He rested his head on top of hers, contentedly.

     "So, what did our new friend, Sanga 'Medicine Man Extraordinaire'
have to say?" Mulder asked after a few minutes.

     Scully withdrew from his embrace, immediately reverting to Doctor
mode, and Mulder sighed inwardly as he missed the warmth of her in
his arms.

     "I've never really been an advocate of herbal medicine, but I
do have to admit that I have seen it achieve results where
conventional methods have failed." she told him.  "In this case,
the mixture that they're going to give me is effectively going
to introduce poison into my immune system in an attempt to kill
the cancerous growth by denying it the sustenance it needs to survive."

     Mulder looked worried.  "Are you sure that's not dangerous?" he
asked, concernedly.

     "Mulder, I'm not going to kid you here.  It's going to get a
whole lot worse before it gets better - if it gets better.  This
treatment is going to make me very weak and very sick.  But it
just might work.  Believe me, I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't
think the chance of a cure outweighed the risk."

     "Yeah, I know, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about
you." he told her.

     "What you should be worrying about is how exactly you're going
to keep your new pupils under control." Scully teased.

     "Hey, I'm pretty good with kids." Mulder told her in a mock-
offended tone.  "Besides, it'll be good practice for our children."

     Scully stared at him flabbergasted.

     "What?" Mulder asked, wondering what he'd said to cause that
reaction.

     "You want to have children with me?" she asked quietly, her
head tilted down so that the expression on her face was hidden by 
her hair.

     Mulder cupped her face with his hand, making her meet his gaze.
"I thought you knew how I felt, Scully." he told her.  "What'd you
think - that I just wanted to get into your pants or something?"

     "Maybe.." she confessed, lowering her eyes to look at the ground,
at the wall, anywhere but at Mulder.

     "Scully look at me."  She complied reluctantly, and Mulder took
her hand in his.  "I love you." he told her, seriously.  "I will always 
love you, and I want to be with you forever."  A sudden fear clenched
his heart.  "You didn't just want this to be a brief fling, did you?"
he asked quickly.

     "No, of course not, Mulder." she reassured him.  "I love you, and
I want to be with you.  I guess I knew that you loved me too, but I
was afraid it wouldn't work out."

     "That's my Scully, always reluctant to believe." Mulder replied
playfully, now that his fears had been laid to rest.

     "I believe in this, Mulder.  I believe in us."

     "I know you do.  This is something we can both believe in." he 
told her sincerely.

     Mulder put his arm around Scully's shoulders as they stepped out
of the hut.  Scully smiled at him coyly, "So do you still want to get
into my pants?"

     Mulder stared at her flabbergasted.



End Part 4

"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 5 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)


3 months after their arrival
Mulder and Scully's bungalow
Wednesday 1:30 a.m.

     The remaining boundaries between the two former agents had
gradually become blurred and then disappeared altogether, but they
had made an unspoken agreement not to cross the line into becoming
lovers until it was a celebration of no longer having to live
with the threat of cancer which could destroy their lives at any
time.

     As they lay in bed together, Mulder remembered Scully banning
him from her side of the bed on their first day there, and
smiled as he recalled how one week later she'd tentatively
invited him back onto her side of the bed and asked him to hold
her.

     But Scully wasn't content to lie still in his arms tonight.
She was tossing and turning, plumping up the pillows, and trying
desperately to find a comfortable position in which to get some
sleep.  Mulder sighed loudly as she rolled over yet again and
reached out an arm to still her movement.

     "What?" she asked, frustratedly.

     "Could you please lie still." he told her for the fourth time.

     "Mulder, I can't sleep." she complained.

     "Really?  I hadn't noticed."  Even in the darkness, he could 
sense the reluctant smile that his quip inspired.

     "I'm just so tired, and it's very frustrating not to be able
to fall asleep."

     "Yeah I know Scully, but Robbie warned you that this would
happen.  The drugs are messing with your body, and this is
another side effect.  And hey, it's better than the nausea which
you had all last month." Mulder reminded her.

     Scully shuddered as she remembered how weak she'd felt while
she'd hardly been able to keep any food down.  Mulder had been
wonderful, sitting with her for hours trying to coax her to eat
something, carrying her outside so she could sit in the sun,
but it still wasn't something that Scully ever wanted to go
through again.

     Not that this unrelenting nervous energy was much better.  She
wanted to jump up and down and scream.  Not a particularly practical
thing to do at any time, but most especially not in the middle of
the night.  Scully turned to look at Mulder.

     "You know when I was little and I couldn't sleep, my Dad used
to tell me stories." she told him, curling against his side and
waiting expectantly.

     "I remember my Aunt giving me hot milk once when I couldn't
sleep.  I thought it was disgusting but I drank it anyway 'cause
I didn't want to hurt her feelings."

     "Tell me a story, Mulder.  Please." Scully asked.

     "A story, Scully?  What about?"

     'Hmmm,' she thought for a minute.  She'd heard plenty of
stories about his early Bureau career.  She didn't want to bring
up painful memories from his childhood either.  "Tell me about
when you were at Oxford." she finally demanded.

     Mulder considered his options.  He knew that anything involving
Phoebe was automatically out, not that those were memories he
particularly wanted to recall anyway.  Eventually he made up his
mind, and wrapping his arms around Scully, started to speak softly,
hoping the even sound of his voice would lull her into the sleep that
evaded her.

     "Okay, this was during my second year there.  Jamie, a guy I was 
friends with at school had been visiting some relatives in Gloucester, 
and on his way back to London, he decided to stop at Oxford for a 
couple of days.  He didn't even know I was there, but then we ran 
into each other in a bar.  His Aunt had broken her leg, so his 
relatives hadn't been able to take him to Stratford-on-Avon while he 
was with them, and he decided that he couldn't leave England without 
seeing Shakespeare performed in the playwright's own birthplace.  So 
we rode over on the bus, it was only a couple of hours, grabbed dinner 
and then saw the play.  It was The Tempest if I remember correctly.
No the best Shakespeare I've ever seen, but there was something
about seeing it in Shakespeare's birthplace that made it feel, I
don't know, significant somehow.  Anyway, everything was fine until
the bus broke down on the way back.  We decided to try hitch-hiking,
but weren't having much luck since it was the middle of the night.
So we finally got picked up by this couple at about 4:00 in the
morning, and they were in a Mini of all things."

     Scully chuckled sleepily as she imagined Mulder trying to
contort himself to fit into a Mini.

     "I hopped into the back with the woman, and Jamie ended up
in the front with her husband.  So here I am, knees pressed up into
my chin, head squashed against the roof of the car, and this
woman starts hitting on me."

     Scully laughed out loud when she heard this.

     "Yeah well it wasn't funny at the time.  She had to be fifty if
she was a day and she was running her hand up and down my leg and
squeezing my thigh.  I was completely mortified to have this woman
who was older than my mother coming on to me, not to mention the
fact that I was panicking that her husband would realise what was
going on and throw Jamie and me out of the car, leaving us stranded 
God only knew where in the middle of the night.

     "So what happened?" Scully asked, amusement evident in her voice.

     "I just kept trying to subtly swat her away from me, which was
kinda hard since we were squashed together in the back.  Boy was
I relieved when we finally made it back to Oxford.  Anyway, I go
to get out of the car, and she pinches my butt."

     Scully giggled into the pillow.

     "Are you laughing at me, Scully?" Mulder asked, amused by the
sight of his normally sedate partner overcome with a fit of
the giggles.  "Cause it really wasn't funny at the time.  I could
hardly believe it was happening."

     "Why not?" Scully asked, having finally got her giggles under
control.  "She obviously recognised a cute butt when she saw one."

     "I have a cute butt?" Mulder asked, bemusedly.

     "Ohh yeah." Scully told him.

     "Anyway, to finish the story, I got back just in time for a
major psychology assessment that I had that morning.  Needless to
say, it was not some of my better work."  Mulder remembered his tutor's 
vocal displeasure at having one of his best students turn in work
that was frankly pathetic.

     "So Scully, I showed you mine, now you show me yours."

     "Huh?" she asked in confusion.

     "Something must stand out from all those years of medical training.
Tell me a story, Scully." he prompted.

     "Well, my first week at Med. School was a pretty memorable
experience.  One of the first announcements was that we were going
to be introduced to a dead body at the end of the week.  Remember
that this was long before I got into forensic pathology, and I'd 
never even seen a dead body before at this stage.  By the time Friday
rolled around, I was pretty apprehensive.  So all of us are sitting
expectantly in the hall when two of the lecturers come in, carrying an
obviously full body bag which they put on a table.  Then they told
us that they were going to pick someone at random to have their first
experience with a body.  And guess which rather nervous first-year
med. student got stuck with this role."

     Mulder interrupted her.  "You're kidding - they picked you?"

     "Yep.  So not only did I have to worry about how I was going to
react to my first sight of a dead body, but I was going to have to do
it with hundreds of other students watching my every move.  Not
something which boosted my confidence, let me tell you.  But I
wasn't about to back down, so I took a deep breath and stepped up to
the bag.  Before I could chicken out, I grasped the zip in both hands
and pulled it all the way down.  Bracing myself, I looked at the
body and was relieved to find that I was fine with it after all.
Fine, that is, until the 'body' suddenly opened its eyes and jumped
out of the bag and off the table."

     Mulder roared with laughter as Scully recounted the joke.

     "Yeah, well it's funny now, but I almost had a heart attack at
the time.  The whole room erupted in chaos as this naked guy ran up
and down the aisles.  I found out later that they play the same joke
on the new med. students every year.  It's a really clever idea,
but at the time, it almost put me off medicine for life."

     "God, I can just imagine it.  Dead bodies gross me out enough
as it is.  I probably have fainted if one suddenly jumped up and
started running around." Mulder confessed.

     "Yeah well, I think they did their best to sicken us by
showing us all sorts of diseased body parts and that kind of thing.
I guess they were trying to weed out the people who'd just chosen
medicine for the money or whatever and who couldn't handle the
reality of it.  But I must have been absent the week they showed
us mutants and green goo, 'cause I sure received a baptism of fire
in that sort of thing with the X-Files."

     Mulder chuckled.  "Yeah, we do have a pretty good gross-out
factor going, don't we?  Anyway, do you think you'll be able
to sleep now?"

     "Oh yeah, mutants and dead bodies are exactly what you want to
hear about just before going to sleep." she told him.

     "Since I've seen you eat steak right after a grueling round of
autopsies you can hardly expect me to believe that a little
discussion about green slime is going to prevent you from sleeping."
Mulder said.

     Scully grinned in the darkness.  "Night Mulder," she paused for
a moment, "and thanks."

     "What for?" he asked.

     "Everything."


End of Part 5

"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 6 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)


5 months after their arrival
Monday 10:00 a.m.

     "Scully, are you sure you're going to be okay?" Mulder asked
for what had to be the tenth time that morning.

     "How many times do I have to tell you?  Yes.  For goodness'
sake Mulder, I managed to survive for thirty-three years without
you watching my every move, so I'm sure I'll be able to cope
for another four days." Scully insisted.

     Mulder lowered his head, discomfited by this reference to his
over-protectiveness.  But Scully wasn't having any of that.

     "It's not that I don't appreciate you watching out for me,
but there is such a thing as overkill.  Look, I'm feeling better
than I have for ages, and in a couple of weeks we'll have the
results back from the samples we sent to the Gunmen."

     Mulder's expression was equal parts scared and excited as he
contemplated the results they'd soon hear, and the possibilities which
they embodied.  But he was forced out of his reflection by Scully
waving her hand in front of his face.

     "Mulder, Mulder, you still with me?"

     "Yeah, sorry Scully, just zoned out for a minute there."  She
smiled indulgently.

     "You are going on this trip and that is final.  The fact that
you're willingly to get back on an elephant is a clear signal that
you want to go."

     Mulder grinned as he remembered how their first elephant ride
had ended with an impromptu bathe in the waterhole.  "I do want to
go." he confessed.  "Robbie's descriptions of the ancient monuments
sounded fascinating."

     "Uh huh," Scully replied sceptically, "and the fact that there
have been UFO sightings nearby has nothing to do with it of course."

     "Of course not," he smirked, "whatever would have given you
that idea, Agent Scully?"

     "Yeah, whatever, just get out of here." she told him.

     "Yes ma'am." Mulder mock-saluted, then waited expectantly.

     "What?" Scully asked.

     "I don't get a kiss goodbye?" Mulder queried.

     Scully raised an eyebrow, but dutifully leaned in and gave him a
chaste peck on the cheek.

     "That the best you can do?" Mulder challenged, not even giving
her time to answer before he pulled her to him and kissed her
soundly.

     Time seemed to stand still, and Scully's world narrowed to the
feel of Mulder pressed tightly against her, and the incredible 
feelings pooling in her core as his tongue slipped between her lips 
to passionately caress the contours of her mouth.

     When they finally came up for air, it was to discover that
they were surrounded by a group of children who were cheering loudly.
Scully blushed and Mulder looked smug.

     "So will you miss me?" Mulder asked archly.  "Cause I'll miss you.
I'll miss you in my bed.  In my arms.  Everywhere."

     "Yeah Mulder, I'll miss you.  Happy now?"

     "Ecstatic.  I'll see you soon, Scully.  Promise me you'll look
after yourself - and dream about me, okay." Mulder instructed her.

     "Yeah whatever." Scully replied as she watched the elephant lift
Mulder onto its back.  "You just be careful out there."

     "When am I not careful?" he asked.

     "I'm not even going to respond to that one." she said.  Mulder
grinned, and the elephants began to amble across the clearing.
Just before they proceeded into the forest, Mulder turned back and
yelled, "Scully!"

     "What?" she shouted back.

     "I love you!" he bellowed.

     "I love you too!" she yelled back, and then watched their 
progression
until she couldn't see them anymore.



Mulder's Tent
Tuesday 2:00 a.m.

     Mulder sat up abruptly, sweating heavily and looked around the
tent, disoriented for a moment.  'Nightmare' he realised, and
frowned at how unaccustomed the sensation had become.  It had been
months since he'd had a nightmare, but not being with Scully
seemed to have brought them back on.  He chuckled as he relaxed
again.  He'd have to remember to share that idea with her when he
got back.  'Dana Scully, nightmare-slayer extraordinaire.'

     He settled back down into his sleeping bag, but couldn't get the
sense of unease out of his mind.  He'd gotten so used to being
able to personally assure himself of Scully's safety, that the
nagging disquiet he now felt rapidly magnified into full-blown
apprehension.  Roughly trying to push the worry out of his mind,
he rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.  Mulder succeeded
eventually, but the sleep brought him little benefit since his dreams
were wracked with images of Scully in jeopardy, some from when the
times she'd been in danger in the past, and others conjured up
from the darkest fears of his imagination.

     When one of the tribe members called him in the morning, Mulder
was dragged out of a dream where Scully had been screaming for him
to help her.  He'd beat himself up for months over the message on
his answering machine of Scully being kidnapped by Duane Barry, but
last night's dream was not about that cry of help.  This was
something new.  Mulder just couldn't shake of the feeling of
apprehension which was invading his mind.

     "Mulder, you look like shit." he was informed by Beni, one of
the tribe members who'd become particularly friendly with Mulder
and Scully during their stay in the village.

     "Well thank-you very much, Ben." Mulder replied.

     "Seriously though - what's wrong?" he asked.

     "It's just that I'm a bit uneasy about Scully.  I had some
weird dreams, and.....I don't know...they've just got me worried, 
I guess." Mulder explained.

     "Are you sure you're alright?" Beni questioned, "Cause I can
take you back if you want."

     "No, that's okay.  I'm sure it's nothing.  And Scully'll just
end up scolding me for being paranoid." he insisted.

     "Yeah well, if you change your mind, just give me a yell." Beni
offered.

     Mulder nodded his thanks.



Tuesday 11:00 a.m.

     The elephants ambled along the trail, swinging their tails back
and forth and occasionally trumpeting calls to each other.  Mulder
sat astride his elephant, ignoring the jungle scenery, his thoughts
occupied solely with thinking and worrying about Scully back at the
camp.  Beni rode beside him and shot continuous concerned glances at
his friend.

     Suddenly he saw Mulder start abruptly.  Mulder looked up and 
Beni shuddered at the haunted look he saw in his eyes.

     "I have to go back." Mulder said quickly.  "There's something
wrong, I just know it."

     Beni knew better than to argue with him.  Kicking his elephant
he quickly moved up next to the leader of the expedition.  Rapid
consultation took place and then Beni returned to Mulder's side,
using his own elephant to guide Mulder's to turn also.  Beni
conveyed his instructions with an absolute minimum of words.

     "Mulder, just hang on!"  With that, Beni kicked his elephant
hard in the side, causing it to take off at a gallop with Mulder's
animal close behind.  Mulder clung on for dear life as he was
bounced and bumped back through the forest at breakneck speed.  At
any other time, he would have been sick with terror, but his
fears for Scully were currently over-riding every other emotion.



Tenke, home of the Watangi Tribe
Tuesday 2:00 p.m.

     At the breakneck speed in which they had been travelling, Beni
and Mulder covered the distance back to the camp in less than a
quarter of the time it had taken the day before.  They galloped
into the camp, Mulder sliding down from the elephant almost
before it came to a standstill.  He ran towards the medicine
man's hut, fear tearing at his heart.  Robbie was standing in the
doorway, an expression on her face that almost caused his heart to
stop beating.

     "Not.....Dead!?" he gasped, breathing heavily as though he'd
run a marathon.

     She hastened to reassure him, "No, she's not dead Mulder.  But
she's very sick.  And we don't know why."

     Mulder pushed her out of the way, barging into the hut.  As
his eyes grew accustomed to the darkened interior, he saw
Scully lying on a bed near the wall, the medicine man bending over
her, bathing her face.

     Mulder strode over and grabbed the cloth, elbowing the bewildered
man out of the way.

     He bent over Scully.  "Scully, Scully can you hear me?" he
called quietly.  A fevered moan was the only response he received.
He placed a hand gently on her forehead and discovered that she
was burning up.  Anger and fear fighting for dominance, he marched
out of the hut and up to Robina.

     "What the Hell did you do to her?" he shouted furiously.  "She
was fine when I left.  What the fuck happened here?"

     Robbie tried to remonstrate with him.  "Mulder, I'm just as
confused as you are.  She just collapsed suddenly while she was
teaching.  I don't know....."

     But Mulder wasn't interested in explanations.  "Just have someone
bring some tepid water over to our hut now.  Towels too, and make sure
they're clean." he demanded, and then went back into the hut.

    Crouching down next to where Scully lay he spoke soothingly to her,
even though he knew she probably couldn't hear him.  "It's alright
Scully, we're going to get through this just like we get through
everything else."  He gently wrapped the sheet around her sweating
body and lifted her body, making sure to support her head against
his chest.  Cradling her carefully, he carried her across the
clearing to their hut.

     Halfway there, a little boy interrupted him.  Mulder recognised
him as the child whose grazed knee Scully had doctored, earning her
the little boy's undying adoration.

     "Izz Mizz Scully going to be awright?" he lisped.

     "I don't know." Mulder replied dejectedly.  "I hope so."

     He carried Scully into their hut and placed her on the bed.
Stripping off her sweat-soaked clothes until she was clad only in
her underwear, he then began to rub her down gently with a dry
cloth.  Robbie came in with the tepid water while he was doing
this, and he nodded his brusque thanks.  Mulder sponged Scully
down with the tepid water, trying to gently cool her twitching
limbs.  When he'd finished, he laid the sheet lightly over her
body and turned to find that Robina was still in the room.

     Mulder sighed deeply.  He was never very good at apologizing,
and this time he knew he'd been way out of line.  "Robbie, I'm sorry
for what I said before," he told her honestly, "I'm just so scared.
She means everything to me, you know..." he trailed off.

     Robbie moved to place a hand on his arm.  "I know Mulder.
I understand.  She's going to be alright.  I know it."

     "How do you know?" Mulder asked, on the verge of tears.

     "Because you're so damned determined that she's going to be
alright." Robbie told him.  "You need to be strong for her now,
because she can't be."

     Mulder took a deep breath.  "I know.  And I will be.  But
it's so hard to see her suffering.  I love her so much."  He stifled
a yawn with his last words.

     "Why don't you hop into bed next to her." Robina suggested.
Mulder seemed about to demur until Robina insisted that Scully might
be less restless if she sensed Mulder beside her.  He climbed into
bed reluctantly, and was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.



Mulder and Scully's hut
Tuesday 9:00 p.m.

     Mulder awoke to see Robina sponging Scully down again.  He sat
up and placed his hand against Scully's forehead.

     "She feels cooler, don't you think?" he asked Robina.

     "Yeah, definitely.  And I think she's sleeping naturally.  It's
going to be alright Mulder."

     He looked almost ready to collapse with relief.  Robbie finished
sponging Scully down and then went over to retrieve an envelope
from a chair next to the bed.  She handed it to Mulder who looked at
her inquiringly.

     "It's Dana's test results.  I forgot all about them in all
the excitement earlier.  Anyway, give me a call if there's anything
you need."  Robbie left the hut, sensing that Mulder needed some
privacy.

     Mulder regarded the fateful envelope as if it were a snake that
was about to bite him.  He was roused from his contemplation by
hearing a weak sound coming from Scully.

     "Dana, can you hear me?" he asked softly.  Scully opened her eyes
and Mulder found himself looking into the brilliant blue orbs that
he loved.

     "Mulder?" she asked, confused.  He ran a hand gently down her face
and was pleased to discover that her skin temperature seemed almost
normal again.

     He rapidly updated her on what had happened.  "You scared me for
a while there, Scully."

     "I'm sorry, Mulder." she whispered, a tear running down her face.

     "Don't cry, Scully," he told her, brushing the tear off her
cheek with the back of his hand.  "It's not your fault.  It's
just one of those things."  He smiled suddenly.  "I should warn
you though that there's a very good chance that I'll never leave
your side again."

     "Never?" she asked.

     "Never." he affirmed, pulling her into a hug.

     Scully settled into his arms.  She felt so safe when Mulder
held her in his embrace.  As she shifted slightly to accommodate
herself more comfortably, she realised that she was sitting on
something strange, and pulled the almost forgotten envelope out
from under her.  She shot Mulder a questioning glance.

     "Is this what I think it is?" she asked, and he nodded in reply.

     Scully hesitated, and Mulder looked at her uncertainly.  "I'll
understand if you want to do this by yourself." he offered, making
as though to withdraw.  But Scully reached out and prevented him
from getting up.

     "No.  Stay.  I'm just nervous.  There's so much riding on this."
she told him, fingering the envelope apprehensively.

     "I bet you were one of those kids who used to drive their siblings
mad by always insisting on opening presents slowly and not ripping
the paper, weren't you Scully?" Mulder teased, trying to lighten the
mood.

     It worked.  Scully smiled appreciatively.  "Ready?" she asked,
taking a deep breath.

     "Ready." he confirmed, tightening his grip on her waist.

     Scully ripped open the envelope and perused the papers rapidly.
Mulder ignored them, choosing to focus on her face instead.  Just when
he thought the tension was getting to be more than he could bear,
she dropped the papers onto the bed.

     "Well?" Mulder demanded impatiently.

     She slowly turned to look at him, and then a brilliant smile
spread across her face.

     "It's gone, Mulder.  Can you believe it?  Just like that, it's
gone."

     He crushed her to his chest, tears of happiness running down
his face.  "I believe Scully.  I believe."


End of Part 6

"A Nice Trip to the Forest" Part 7 by Gemma Kingsley 
(gkingsley@hotmail.com)


2 weeks later
Tuesday 7:30 p.m.

     It was Mulder and Scully's last night in the African rainforest
with the Watangi Tribe.  They had planned to leave straight away
when they found that Scully's cancer had been miraculously cured, but
Robbie had insisted that they stay another two weeks.  The two
agents had eventually agreed, deciding that it would be nice to spend
a little time relaxing and taking in the scenery without having the
fear of the cancer hanging over their heads.  Robbie's description
of the Galakka festival which coincided with what would be their last 
day in the camp had also sounded intriguing.  Once a year, 
representatives from all the neighboring tribes would converge on one
of the villages to swap news and provisions, to tell stories, make
music and generally have a good time.  It was the Watangi tribe's turn
to play host this year, and people from other tribes had been pouring
in for the last week, pitching their tents and building makeshift
living quarters, until the village appeared to have doubled in size.

     And the night had finally arrived.

     "Hurry up, Scully." Mulder told her as she looked around for her
other shoe.  "We're going to miss the beginning."

     "What are you so excited about anyway?" she asked, putting on the
shoe which she'd finally found under the bed.

     "Oh, nothing." Mulder replied, suddenly reticent.

     "It wouldn't be anything to do with the ghost stories, would it?"
Scully inquired with a mock-innocent tone.

     "I don't know what you're talking about." Mulder insisted, feigning
outrage.

     "Yeah right Mulder.  And I'm the Easter Bunny.  Come on, let's go."




Campfire
8:45 p.m.

     "Here, try this Scully." Mulder said, holding something towards
her mouth.

     "What is it?" she asked warily.

     "You don't trust me?  I'm offended." he replied.

     "This from the man who tried to get me to eat snake not five
minutes ago." Scully retorted.

     "I promise you'll like this." Mulder insisted.

     "Okay Mulder, but I'm warning you, if this is monkey brains,
you're on your own."  She tentatively let him feed her with what
was in his hands.  "Mmmm, Mulder what is this?  It tastes fantastic!"

     "Sweet potato fritters." he told her.  "See, I knew you'd like
them."

     Their conversation was interrupted when the Chief of the Tribe
announced that the stories were to begin.  Scully listened casually to
the first few tales, leaning against Mulder and more interested in
watching him than in listening to the rather predictable ghost
stories.  But the fourth speaker captured her interest.  He was a 
much older man than those who had spoken previously.  His gray hair 
hung down to his shoulders, and looking at the deep wrinkles on his 
face, Scully idly tried to guess his age.  But as soon as he started
speaking, not only Scully, but all the other people sitting around
the campfire gave him their full attention.  His tale was
straightforward but intense:

     "When my great-grandfather was just a boy, he lived in a small
village that was about a day's ride west of here.  In that village,
there was a couple who were unable to have a child, although this 
was what they wanted more than anything.  The man would pray to the
gods every night, and the woman would undergo fertility rites, but
still they were unfruitful.

     Then one day while the man was out hunting in the woods, he
found an elephant that had stumbled into one of his traps, and
couldn't get out.  But the elephant wasn't trumpeting and stamping
around like elephants usually do when they're angry or in danger.
This elephant stood perfectly still and allowed the man to approach
him.  Very cautiously, the man freed the elephant from the trap,
and then stepped back to see what its reaction would be.  What he
was not expecting, was for the elephant to start speaking to him."

     Scully glanced sceptically up at Mulder, and he stuffed another
sweet potato fritter into her mouth to keep her quiet.

     The old man continued.  "The elephant told him that since he had
been so brave in freeing him from the trap, his dearest wish would be 
granted.  The elephant promised that he would send the man and his 
wife a very special child with the spirit of an elephant.  The man
returned home and told his wife the joyful news, but she didn't
believe him, and had soon convinced him that he imagined the whole
thing.  When his wife became pregnant soon after, he recalled what
had happened, but decided that it must have been a precognitive
dream of some sort.

     When their son was born, he was a very beautiful, fragile child,
but he didn't have the gifts of speech or hearing.  And despite how
much the man and his wife had wanted a child, they mistreated this
boy, ashamed of his disabilities.  The bruises and injuries that the
child suffered became so bad that other men in the village began
to speak out against the boy's father.  But instead of reasoning
with the man, and explaining their grievances, two of the villagers
decided to confront the man with force.  But the man overpowered them
and barricaded himself in his hut with his wife and the boy.  The
villagers were aghast as they heard screams coming from the hut,
but their attempts to break the door down were unsuccessful.
Finally, the man opened the door, and the villagers backed away in
horror as he threw the body of the boy out the door and went back into
the hut.  The villagers were shocked by what had happened, but none
of them wanted to touch the body and risk the anger of a man who had
clearly gone over the edge, so they retired to their own huts for
the night.

     In the middle of the night, the whole tribe was suddenly woken
up by the noise of stampeding elephants.  It was too late for them to
try and take shelter, but they all stayed in their huts, praying to
the gods to save them.  When the elephants finally left, without
destroying the village, the inhabitants were bewildered.  They
emerged slowly from their huts, and congregated outside the hut of
the man who had murdered his son the day before.  This was the only
hut that had been destroyed.  It had been trampled into the ground,
and the bodies of the man and the woman lay amidst the ruins,
but the boy was gone....."

     As the old man finished his story, a meaningful silence settled
over the circle.  Everyone seemed to be considering the story, and
turning it over in their minds.

     Finally one of the younger men asked, "But what does it mean?"

     The old man spoke again.  "No meaning is ever set in stone.
In this story, and in everything else, you must find the inner
truth on your own, and it is only in doing this that you can really
understand yourself."

     Murmurs of discussion continued, and someone started telling 
another story, but Mulder and Scully got up and slowly walked back
to their hut.

     "What do you think it means, Scully?  To us?" Mulder asked
seriously.

     "I think it means we should look at things with an open mind..."
she admitted.

     "but in a realistic way.  Considering the evidence and not
making wild leaps of judgement."  Mulder continued.

     "And that we should stick together..."

     "Trusting only each other..."

     "That we should keep working, growing stronger..."

     "But not challenging the Consortium outright until..."

     "Until we have the evidence and the support, and then..."

     They spoke together.  "We will succeed."  Smiling at each other
they continued back to their hut.



1:00 a.m.
Mulder and Scully's hut

     "Mulder, why aren't you asleep?" Scully asked.

     "Why aren't you?" he retorted.  Scully remained silent.  "I can't
stop thinking about going back." Mulder finally admitted.  "Everything's
going to change."

     "It doesn't have to." Scully told him.

     He rolled over to look at her face, bathed by the moonlight that
was shining in the window.  "What do you mean?"

     "Nothing important has to change.  We'll still be who we are,
only I'm not dying of cancer anymore." she said.

     Mulder wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.  "I
know, and you're being cured makes everything worthwhile.  But things
are going to change.  We can't go on like we have been in the last
six months once we're back in DC.  This can't go on." he insisted.

     "This?" Scully asked.

     "I won't be able to touch you whenever I want.  To hold you.  To
sleep in the same bed." he elaborated.

     Scully laid her head on Mulder's chest so that he couldn't see
her face.  "You can if you want." she said softly.

     "Is that an invitation into your bed?" he asked, stroking her hair
gently.

     "It's an invitation into my life." Scully told him.

     Mulder seemed to ponder this for a few moments, and when he didn't
reply, Scully moved up the bed to lie next to him, watching his 
expression carefully.  "What?" she asked after a minute.

     "What if my insomniac habits reassert themselves?" he queried.

     "Well I don't think that would matter too much." Scully replied.
"After all, I may not want you to spend all of your time sleeping."

     "What does that mean?" Mulder asked.

     "Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Scully inquired,
amusedly.

     "No, I think I've got it now." Mulder said.  "Do you mean that it
would be okay to do this?" he asked, running his palms down her sides
and under the bottom of her pajama top to rest them on her belly.

     "Yeah, that would be okay." Scully told him.

     "What about this?" he asked, moving his fingers up her body to
gently brush against the undersides of her breasts.

     "Um, yeah," Scully almost moaned and her eyes slipped shut, "that 
would be fine too."

     Suddenly Mulder stopped his fingers' caressing movements.  Scully
opened her eyes reluctantly.  "What?" she asked.

     "Scully, you know I love you, right?" he queried.

     "Yes, and I love you too.  Now shut up and make love to me."
Scully insisted.

     He grinned and began to do exactly that.





5:30 a.m.
Mulder and Scully's hut

     Scully rolled over in bed, reaching for Mulder even in her sleep,
but was jolted out of sleep when her hand only met thin air.  She sat
up grumpily.  'Now where has he got to?' she wondered.  Getting out of
bed, she pulled on some clothes and went to find out.

     Fortunately, since her eyes were still half closed, she didn't
have to go far.  She found Mulder sitting on a log just outside their
hut.

     "Mulder, what are you doing?  Come back to bed." she said.

     He gestured for her to come over, and she complied reluctantly.

     Having settled herself between his legs, she leaned back against
his chest and shot him a questioning look.  "Now would you like to
explain exactly what we are doing?"

     "We're watching the sunrise." he told her, indicating the
direction in which the sun was just beginning to peek over the
horizon.  He wrapped his arms around her waist, and Scully relaxed
against him.

     They sat in silence for about fifteen minutes, watching as the
sun rose above the horizon, spreading light and warmth over the
African jungle.  Finally the light encompassed them, and Mulder sighed,
holding Scully to him firmly.

     "We have to go back, you know." she told him.

     "I know." he replied.

     "You don't seem as worried about it now as you did last night."
Scully said.

     "Well I thought about it," Mulder said, "and I figured out that
as long as I have you, everything'll work out no matter where we are."

     "You'll always have me." Scully said, clasping his hands in hers.

     And with that, they both grew silent again, absorbing the sun's
final climb together, and treasuring the memories they shared of the
African jungle as they prepared to make the journey home.




     
The End
That's it.  There ain't no more.  So how did I do?  I'd love to hear
your comments, criticisms, advice, anything.  Please don't make me 
beg :)  Gemma at gkingsley@hotmail.com