Title: Shalom Haver: Moving Author: Rotem Shahar Feedback: No. Rating: PG Category: SAR Keywords: MSR, Character Death Spoilers: Cancer arc Summary: Part of the Shalom Haver series which can be found at http://rosfics.tripod.com/rosfic/id10.html Disclaimer: Mulder and Scully aren't mine. They belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and FOX. No infringement is intended and no money is being made off of these characters. Notes: I couldn't sleep so I ended up writing this. ~*~ ~*~ The moving trucks pulled up to Scully's apartment. Everything was ready for them. ~*~ ~*~ A few hours earlier... Scully sighed as she collapsed onto her couch. She and Mulder had been putting things in boxes all weekend. She was tired; she couldn't do as much physical activity as she used to. Mulder went into her kitchen and brought them both glasses of water. He handed Scully one as he walked over to the box sitting where the now empty bookcase stood. "Can I close this box?" Scully looked over at him. "Sure," she nodded in consent. Mulder grabbed the tape off the floor and proceeded to tape the box shut. "I think that's everything. Let me go around the apartment and check." Again, Scully nodded, not having the energy to do much else. A few minutes later Mulder made his way to the couch and sat next to Scully. "All done," he told her. "Good. I don't think I could handle much more of this." She told him honestly. "Let me get you more water," he said, upon her empty glass. "Mulder, I'm fine." Scully said. Mulder looked at her briefly before heading back into the kitchen and emerging with another glass full of water. He handed it to Scully and she obliged him, drinking most of the water. "When does the moving company get here?" Mulder asked. "Around five," Scully replied, yawning. "What do we do for the next three hours?" "Sleep," she said, attempting to get up. Mulder jumped up and helped her, and together, they made their way to her bedroom. He helped her lay down and pulled the covers up around her. "What are you going to do, Mulder?" "I'll find something. Don't worry about me," Mulder spoke softly, "goodnight." He whispered as he exited her room. Mulder sprawled out on Scully's couch amidst the sea of boxes and flicked the TV on. He turned to some random channel as he reflected on the past month. ~*~ When Scully announced that she was moving Mulder had been surprised. When Scully asked him to help him choose her new apartment, he was astonished. And when Scully told him that she wanted it to be closer to him, he almost fainted. ~*~ Scully looked through newspaper ads while Mulder went to the landlords of the apartment complexes around him asking if there was anything available. After three weeks of unsuccessful endeavors, Mulder finally found something. He wasn't sure if Scully would go for it. She told him she wanted to be closer to him, but he didn't know how much closer. The apartment he'd found was in his building. On his floor. Across the hall from him. His neighbor had just moved out and was looking to sell the apartment. Nervousness built in him as he picked up the phone and dialed Scully's number. He wasn't sure what she'd say. He hoped she'd say yes, but he was worried she'd say no. No, it's too close to him; she wanted to see him often, but not that often. Or even that she'd found something else. He hoped she'd at least take it into consideration. "Scully," she said into the phone. "Hey Scully, it's me." "Hey Mulder!" She exclaimed, sounding genuinely happy to hear from him. "I found something," he told her, not giving her specifics. "Where?" She questioned. "Across the hall from me." Mulder said apprehensively. "Is the layout the same as yours?" Scully asked. Mulder sighed in relief. She was actually considering it. "Pretty much." "Is it the same size?" "It's a little bigger." "How much is it going for?" "I'm not sure, but I can go find out if you want." Mulder offered, full of excited energy at the fact that Scully might be moving in across from him. Scully thought for a moment. "I'm going to come see it. Can I see it now?" "I don't see why not. Mr. Manfredi is home, I'm sure he'll be happy that someone is interested already." "Great, I'll see you in a bit then." Scully finalized as she hung up the phone. Scully arrived and Mulder was waiting for her. He quickly ushered her in and asked how she was feeling. "Mulder, I'm fi-" she stopped herself. "I'm okay, Mulder, really." He nodded, hoping she'd tell him if she wasn't. Together, they made their way across the hall and knocked on Mr. Manfredi's door. As Mulder suspected, he was thrilled to have someone interested so soon and was glad to show them around. Scully asked Mr. Manfredi a few basic questions about the house and was satisfied with the answers. When the tour was over, Scully asked if she should speak his real estate agent about buying the apartment, or if she could deal directly with him. Mulder was elated. Scully wanted to move in across the hall from him. She didn't feel it was too close to him or that she'd be seeing too much of him if she lived there. Scully and Mr. Manfredi had worked something out on the spot, and she was scheduled to move in two weeks. That would give her plenty of time to pack her things, put her house on the market, and inform the landlord. She and Mulder had started packing her things soon after that. They had started leaving work early; spending every day after work packing certain sections of her apartment, packing things she didn't need or wasn't using. ~*~ A loud, hacking cough broke his reverie. He dashed into the kitchen and then into Scully's bedroom. He sat down on the bed beside her as he placed a glass of water down on her nightstand. He rubbed her back until the coughing subsided. She was shaking. Mulder opened the drawer of her nightstand and pulled out some medicine. He handed her the pills and then the glass of water, helping her steady her trembling hands. "Don't - I don't feel good." Scully groaned. "Should I take you to the hospital?" He asked, showing his concern. "No, I'll, I'll be fine," she said. "Just need to rest." Mulder moved to get up but she touched his wrist. "Stay?" She asked weakly. He sat back down next to her, kissing her temple. He wove his fingers through her hair in a soothing fashion. Soon, she was asleep. ~*~ ~*~ There was a loud knock at the door, awaking Mulder from his light slumber. He yawned and got up off the bed, looking at his watch. 'Must be the moving company' he thought to himself. He opened the door to two men with 'Jack's Moving Company' written across their shirts. Mulder let them in and they asked where they should begin. "Begin with the furniture, leave the boxes till the end," he told them. They quickly started working. Mulder walked back into Scully's bedroom and gently shook her awake. "Scully, the movers are here. Time to get up." She yawned and stretched, feeling much better than she did when she had gone to sleep. Slowly, she sat up and swung her feet off the bed. Standing up with Mulder's help, she slipped on her sandals. After yawning yet again, she wiped the sleep away from her eyes and made her way into the living room, where the movers were working. ~*~ ~*~ Three hours and twenty-seven minutes later... They had just unloaded the last of the boxes and placed them haphazardly in the middle of the living room. She hadn't realized how many boxes she had. After the first batch she started to feel dizzy, and opted to stay in the apartment and make sure there was room for the rest of the boxes. Scully yawned. "Where am I sleeping tonight?" She asked Mulder. "You can sleep in my bed, I'll be on the couch." "Okay," she said, heading across the hall and into his apartment. She flopped onto the bed and went to sleep. They'd finish unpacking later. ~*~ ~*~ The End. More Notes: So, it's now almost 1:15 a.m. and I have two midterms tomorrow (technically today). Wish me luck!