Title: Happiness - Share and Share Alike II Author: shawntaw Category: MSR, Au Rating: G Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I am making no profit. No harm, no foul. It's after Christmas. To sue me would be a pointless exercise. But if you insist, I suppose you can have that fuzzy stuff at the bottom of my pockets... Summary: Share the love....(sniffle)... Feedback makes me very happy at shawntaw@hotmail.com :) TO DANI WHO HAS MADE A WEBSITE OF MY STORIES: www.geocities.com/corran_14776/shawntaw.html Thank you.:) NOTE: Mimic, I SWEAR I'm not trying to give you hives!! This isn't a WIP, it is just a continuing series...but the problem is I think that it ends up being a WIP within a series sometimes. Maybe I'm just rusty on my labeling terminology. Someone tell me...is this a WIP if it is a part of an ongoing series? If that makes any sense. *L* I really do want to get the labeling right. The next part will be posted sometime tomorrow...Honest!*L* ********************************************************************** ** Scully awoke to the sensation of being smothered. In a panic, she pushed with all her strength at the soft weight being held over her face. *Have the powers-that-be finally decided that the easiest way to rid themselves of Mulder and me is to murder us outright?! Oh God...Mulder...* Scully struggled to call out to her partner. Did he lay dead beside her already? Was he in the throes of fighting off his own attacker? She managed to work her face sideways and sucked in a breath. "Mulder!" she screamed in terror. The weight on her lifted immediately and the bed pitched. "Scully!?" Mulder yelled hoarsely in the darkness. She blinked and filled her lungs with oxygen. Mulder had been lying on her. She sighed and leaned over him to click on the bedside lamp. "Its ok, Mulder. I just...I had a bad dream," she lamely explained. He sat on his side of the bed, blankets bunched around his waist, chest soaked with sweat, his fever-dampened hair spiked on one side of his head and smooshed flat on the other. Dark circles ringed his eyes and stubble roughened his cheeks. Mulder's chest heaved from the sudden adreneline rush. "Geez, Scully. Give a guy a heart attack." She watched him blink at her for a minute and then a smile form on his lips. "What?" Scully said, frowning. "You ought to see yourself," he smirked. Scully reached up to smooth her hair. "What?" she repeated, feeling self-conscious. His smile grew as he took in her sleep-creased cheek and sweat- slicked red hair. A small bit of dried drool drew a fine white line on one corner of her mouth. Seeing where his gaze wandered and knowing she slept with her mouth hanging open, Scully scrubbed at her mouth. "Stop it Mulder. You're no prize right now either, you know." He ruefully reached up to touch his own hair. "Well, I guess we've officially seen each other at our worst. Now's your chance to run for your life, Scully," he said, half-joking. "I won't if you won't, Mulder," she smiled and leaned over to kiss him. They both grimaced. "Brush teeth first, kissing later," Scully said. Mulder nodded his agreement. ********************************************************************** ***** Skinner stood in front of Maggie Scully's door with one hand behind his back and the other ringing the doorbell. Maggie opened the door. "Hello, Mr. Ski- Walter," she said, smiling at him. "Good evening, Maggie," he smiled back and held out the single long- stemmed pink rose he'd been holding behind his back. Her smile grew. "Its lovely, Walter, thank you. Come in while I put it in some water." Skinner walked in only to find a tall man blocking his way. "Bill, move," Maggie said to the man. "Who's this?" the man responded, unyielding. "Walter Skinner," Skinner said, offering his hand," and you are?" "Bill Scully," the man said, shaking Skinner's hand firmly,"Maggie's son." "He's Dana's boss, Bill," Maggie explained, "He's here to take me to dinner. Now, move." She gave her son a gentle nudge. He finally did move. Skinner and Maggie were able to walk past him. "You're going on a DATE?" Bill said, incredulously. Maggie stopped and turned. "And what is wrong with that?" Skinner wisely kept his mouth shut and stood back, watching Maggie's Irish temper start to flair. Bill's eyebrow arched, not unlike his sister's. "He's got to be at least ten years younger than you!" She blushed. Obviously, she had thought about the age difference and it was a bit of a sensitive spot with her. "I'm sure he is aware of our general age difference," she said. "I am. I don't care. Your mother is a very beautiful lady," Skinner offered. Maggie's blush deepened and she graced Skinner with a smile. Bill frowned. "What's the matter, Mr. Skinner? Women your own age won't give you the time of day?" Maggie's mouth opened in a shocked "O." Skinner frowned warningly at Bill. Maggie began to say something, but Skinner laid his hand gently on her arm. "Maybe Bill and I should talk alone, Maggie. Why don't you go ahead and find some water to put that rose in?" Maggie felt her angrily-speeding pulse slow as she looked into Walter's steady brown eyes. He had a calming effect on her. She patted the hand on her arm, "Alright, Walter. I'll be in the kitchen." And then, just to spite her son, she tiptoed and gave Skinner a quick peck on the lips. Skinner started and then gave her a lop-sided smile as she strode smoothly into the kitchen. He turned to talk to Bill... and sneezed. ********************************************************************** ***** Byers ladled stew into an old margarine tub as Frohike and Langley hovered on either side of him. "What're you doing?" Langly finally demanded. "He's taking some of my stew to his lady love," Frohike said, "She called and cancelled their first date. Said she was sick. Now he's going to surprise her with stew." Frohike shook his head and slapped Byers on the back. "Open your eyes, man! She's not sick; she's trying to let you down easy." Byers ignored him and snapped on the lid. He took an old plastic grocery bag out of the recyclables and shook it. Placing the tub of stew in it, he tied a neat, loose knot in the handles. "You are setting yourself up, dude," Langly tried to talk sense into his friend. "I'm going to comb my hair. Don't touch it," Byers said, pointing at the bag on the countertop, as he left their kitchen area. Frohike and Langly looked at each other and shook their heads. ********************************************************************** ***** Mulder felt decidedly better after brushing his teeth. *Yeah, I think I'm feeling a lot better.* He blew his nose and took an experimental deep breath. No coughing. "Ahhh," he said to himself and then leaned out of his bathroom. "Scully?" "Hmmm?" she said from where she sat propped up on pillows. She was reading a book in bed while she waited for Mulder to finish with the bathroom. "I think I'm going to take a shower now. I'm feeling pretty good- oh man, is that the time?" Scully looked over at his bedside clock. It glowed "7:02 p.m." "I guess so," she shrugged, "why?" "Isn't tonight New Year's Eve?" She paused. "You know, I actually don't know. We've been sleeping so much.." she trailed off. "If this is New Year's Eve, then tonight at nine is-" "-your Mom's get-together," Mulder finished for her. Scully reached over to the telephone, "I had better call." ********************************************************************** ** and the saga continues... Will Mulder and Scully make the party? What's Bill's problem with Skinner? Does Skinner have the flu now? What will happen when Byers goes to see Kimberly? (Hey, I'm writing this part of the series as I get inspired...even I want to know the answers to these questions! I'll sit down and write some more tonight...)