Title: She Wears It Well Author: abracadabra Rating: R/NC-17 Keywords: MSR, Clothing Spoilers: Season 7. For the purposes of this story, nothing else follows Season 7. Summary: Seasons Series -- Snowed Inn Universe. They're in a close, intimate relationship. A little window-shopping in Boston. You don't have to have read Snowed Inn to 'get' this one. Thanks: Kim and Denise, the daredevil smut duo of betas! Or is that, dare devil duo of smut betas? At any rate, I know I couldn't do it without either one of them. Thanks!! Also, thank you to Traci for her read-through. Disclaimer: Ok, they're not mine...These characters actually do belong to Chris Carter (but I like to play with them), 1013 Productions (I won't tell anyone I'm borrowing them) and Fox Studios (no comment). Notes: 2nd annual Boston work-conference smut...The Plaza Shops exist. The clothing displayed in the windows in March agreed to be featured here. The interior of one shop was changed to suit the writer's needs. The writer received no bonuses or sales incentives to feature the names of the shops here. Archive: Anywhere with headers intact. Please notify me. Feedback: Please, please? abracadabra1754@hotmail.com Websites: http://www.geocities.com/spookys_girl2000/index.html http://www.geocities.com/mesmerizememulder/ Date: 3 March 02 ~*$**$**$**$**$*~ She Wears It Well By abracadabra ~*$**$**$**$**$*~ Copley Plaza Shops Boston, Massachusetts 3 March 2002 Sunday Afternoon "Let's start at the other end." "We're already right here. What's wrong with starting here?" "Because I parked the car in this garage and we should work our way back to the car." Scully's eyes rolled for the third time in so many minutes, but this time she also shook her head in reaction to just one more of her partner's endearing, if annoying habits. For someone who was so open to extreme possibilities, he was very set in his way over the more mundane aspects of every day life. "Fine, Mulder, we'll start at the other end, but," she decided to play along, "Where exactly is the other end?" Facing him, hands on her hips, she tried to hide the impatient smile she knew he'd use to his advantage. "Well, we're at the Sheraton, so the 'other end', Scully, is down by the Marriott shops." He extended his hand to her, lacing his fingers with hers, and headed past the Hynes Convention Center. As they drew closer to the Boston Tapestry wall, Mulder veered to the left, heedless of the fact that he still had Scully in tow and that she had no idea he planned to deviate from their original path. Before she could inquire as to their destination, she found herself up against the waist-height brass rail with her partner's hands framing her from behind. "What are we doing here, Mulder?" When she tried to turn to look at him, his hand gently guided her eyes back to the large granite wall in front of them. "We're checking out this sculpture. I'm betting you didn't know that it's supposed to be the view of Boston from the 52nd floor of the Pru." He had dropped into his didactic voice, one she had learned to both love and hate, depending on the circumstances. "The Prudential Tower was the first true skyscraper in Boston and Alfred M. Duca dedicated this tapestry in 1965." He couldn't stand still. Mulder gestured and punctuated his sentences with his arms...and his hips. Scully was used to his verbal and non-verbal communication; he was one of the most kinesthetic people she'd ever known. But while his arm movements in public weren't very out of the ordinary, the occasional swaying of his hips against hers was attention getting. For her. And, by the feel of things, for him, as well. "Mulder? Maybe we should head for the shops?" She turned in his direction as he wrapped his arms around her in a close approximation of a bear hug and kissed her cheek. "Whatever you say, Boss." She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed about the loss of the physical connection. As they moved away from the artwork, the shops surrounded them on three sides and Scully's steps slowed. She was glad that her partner also seemed to enjoy window and 'real' shopping almost as much as she did. Since neither of them ever seemed to have the time, when they did, it became an event. Just one more 'normal people' thing they occasionally got to do. In her mind, what made it even better was that they shared these normal things on a much more personal level. And with Mulder, there was always a good chance that 'personal' involved getting naked. She could only hope. ~*$**$**$**$*~ She saw it before he did. The Body Shop. Tugging on his hand, she veered left toward the dark green painted wood-framed windows with the yellow lettering. One glance at him told her this was not what Mulder had in mind when he suggested they should walk through the plaza. "Scully," half-whining, half-imploring, "What's in there that you need?" "I don't 'need' anything, but there's something I definitely want." "Me?" "Peppermint Foot Cream, Mulder." She watched as he seemed to process the information. And his next words told her he had reached his own conclusions about its usefulness. "Is it edible?" Carrying the small brown handle bag, she led Mulder back out into the plaza, ignoring his question. "Are you enjoying yourself, Scully?" He knew he didn't really need to ask the question. The carefree smile on her face and the gleam in her eyes told him all he needed to know. 'Happiness' for him was often defined simply by being in her presence, no matter where they were. Her sight now focused on Anne Taylor across the walkway, she murmured and nodded. He followed, hoping they weren't going inside. 'Anne Taylor' looked rather sedate although Scully saw something she obviously liked. Pointing to the knee length black sleeveless shift with the stark white armhole and neckline border, she asked, "What do you think of this one, Mulder?" He watched her head tilt to one side as she moved to view it from another angle. It looked exactly the same to him from any angle. Boring. He'd never met any woman who wore as much black as the love of his life. "It's ok, Scully. But don't you have enough black clothing? Don't you want something a little more colorful for spring?" She laughed; her hands on her hips and, without facing him, replied, "What are you, the new spring colors campaign? Black and white are crisp and sharp and..." "What about soft and warm?" He offered. He could picture her in the dress on the mannequin, her hair pulled back and up, a pair of those impossibly high black pumps, a string of pearls at her throat her translucent skin matching the luster of the pearls. She'd look stunning. But, he tried to picture the same dress in a pastel color. ~*$**$**$**$*~ He was pulled from his mental meanderings as she reversed direction, heading farther down the concourse. Stopping two doors down at a place Mulder had never heard of. 'Arden B." Oh, this place looked like it had possibilities and his mental meanderings returned. This time with a vengeance. But he was rudely interrupted when she was on the move again. "Where are we going? Don't you want to check out these windows?" His tone neutral, he hoped she wouldn't sense his interest. No such luck. "See something you like, Agent Mulder?" The quirky upturn of her lips made it harder for him to retain his mock-detached look. With practiced nonchalance, he draped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her closer as he pointed to the white, headless plastic forms, all sporting throw back 70s outfits. "I was just picturing you as a flower child or disco queen." His eyes had wandered over the 7 dress forms and settled on the one to his right. The one dressed in very low slung hip hugger, bell-bottom jeans and the gauzy white peasant blouse with the cleavage-baring neckline. He felt her fist connect with his biceps as she 'explained' that she would never have been a 'disco queen' although the image of flower child held a certain appeal. She gazed up at him trying to follow his eyes to see which outfit held his attention. "What is it about that one that you like?" "Where do you want me to start? Maybe the hip-hugging jeans?" "They're called, 'hip-huggers'." "Like I said, 'hip-hugging' jeans, or the low-cut, tummy-baring top? Need I go on?" His arm around her shoulder grew tighter as he nudged her hip with his in demonstrated emphasis. Moving him from his obvious fixation, Scully posed a question, "Did you have a guitar, Mulder?" He noticed that she'd turned to look up at him, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Maybe you were into the Retro 70s movement as a teen? And that guitar had a peace sign strap?" She prompted. "Do I look like I was ever a hippie?" was his answer, a matching twinkle in his own eyes. Her questions had only temporarily derailed the images percolating in his head as he looked at the mannequin. <> His mind's eye continued its journey to <> Her elbow lightly jabbing him in the ribs got his attention. "Mulder?" "Huh? What?" "Where were you just now?" Leaning down to plant a kiss in her hair, the images continued. <> "Mulder!" Her look of concern and his flushed face were a matched set. He actually burst out laughing -- busted as he was. "I'm ok, Scully. I was just thinking about you." At her puzzled look, he leaned in, the tip of his tongue wetting her bottom lip. "Mulder? Do you have a fever?" All she knew was that her core temperature had suddenly shot up a few degrees and his cheeks reflected how she now felt. ~*$**$**$**$*~ End Part 1