Regaining Perspective & Judgment by nja3
Setting:  Washington, DC
Timeframe:  late March/early April; sometime after Millennium
Author:  Nancy.  Email me feedback; nancyj01@earthlink.net

************************************************************************
Skinner’s Office; Monday, 8:30AM

Skinner is sitting at his desk, reviewing files when his receptionist tells 
him Agent
Mulder has arrived.  Skinner asks her to send him in.
"Sir, you asked to see me?", says Mulder.
"Yes, Agent Mulder.  I’ve been reviewing personal leave time usage.  You 
have exceeded
the allowable number of accrued days for vacation."  Skinner puts down the 
folder and
looks across the desk at Mulder.
A slight grin starts to spread on Mulder’s face.  "Well, Sir, I don’t really 
need any
vacation time since the cases I’ve been working on allow for so much travel. 
  You know,
‘See the USA in your Chevrolet’, oh, right, we usually rent Fords."
"Agent, this is a serious matter.  You know as well as I do that the Bureau 
requires its
Agents to maintain sound judgment and perspective.  They are 2 of the 
cornerstones of
our work."
Mulder starts shifting in his chair, knowing where this discussion is 
headed.  He starts to
speak, but Skinner cuts him off.  He squares his jaw and opens his eyes just 
a little bit
wider; giving Mulder the definite impression that something he probably 
won’t like is on
its way.
"Agent Mulder, you are now officially placed on two week’s vacation time 
effective
Friday".  Skinner closes the folder, stands behind his desk, hands on hips 
and bids Mulder
good day.  He then sits back down and picks up another file.  Mulder has 
been summarily
dismissed.
************************************************************************

Mulder and Scully’s Office; 9:00AM

Scully has arrived at the office to find it empty.  She doesn’t mind; she 
has a report to
finish.  She heads for the computer, grabs her glasses, and starts typing:
“Final report for Casefile #X-223:  Mystery Predator, Newark, DE.
This case began with the report of “someone/thing not quite human” cornering 
women in
the greater Newark area.  Several statements taken from women in their 30’s 
and 40’s
alleged that they had been corned in their apartments after midnight.  When 
asked to
describe the alleged predator, all 5 women stated only that: “it appeared to 
be male, had
frightened them greatly and then gave off a strange sexual energy.”
Agents Mulder and Scully failed to …”  Scully stopped typing as Mulder 
walked into the
office.
“Well, Scully, that’s it; I’m outta here!” he announced in a sarcastic tone.
Scully saved her work, removed her glasses, and turned off the computer.  
She walked
over to Mulder and asked, “What are you talking about, Mulder?”  He didn’t 
answer right
away.  She  raised her right eyebrow and continued to look at him, knowing 
he’d answer
her when he was ready.
When it seemed as if that was all he was going to say and had started 
walking over to his
desk, Scully asked him again, “Mulder?”
“The Skinman says it’s time for my 2-week vacation starting this Friday. 
Wanna see
when the next space ship’s leaving for Mars?  How about Alpha Centauri?”
Scully sits on the edge of his desk as he leans back in his chair.  She 
smiles and says,
“Mulder, what’s so bad about a little time off?  You’ve probably got things 
you’d like to
do, somewhere you’d like to go, aliens you’ve yet to discover, crop circles 
begging for a
trim?”
Now it’s Mulder’s turn to smile.  He leans forward and puts his hand lightly 
on Scully’s
knee and says, “You just don’t understand; he wants me out of here because 
he’s sending
you on some case by yourself or with another Agent.”
“Mulder, where DO you come up with these ideas?  Don’t you think I would 
have told
you if I’d been assigned a case?  I’m still finishing the report on the 
Delaware case, I
have 2 autopsies waiting and then who knows what?  Are you telling me you 
know
something I don’t?”
“Scully, you mark my words, I know whereof I speak.  Now, just so I can 
practice this
time off thing, let’s go get some coffee.” Mulder gets up, grabs Scully’s 
hand and starts
to head for the door.  Scully pulls back and says, “Mulder, I just told you 
I have to finish
that report; I can’t leave right now.”  She’s trying hard to look serious, 
but her eyes are
saying she’d probably like to take Mulder up on his offer.  He’s in that 
sarcastic-playful-
conspiracy mood of his; one she happens to like sometimes…

************************************************************************
Café Moonglow; downtown DC; 10:00AM
Scully’s heels click on the hardwood floor as the 2 Agents walk over to a 
booth.  They
slide in on the richly colored tapestry cushions over the cherry wood seats. 
  John Serrie is
softly playing in the background.  The Café is not busy at this time on a 
Monday
morning.  The only other sounds are the occasional clatter of porcelain mugs 
on the
wooden tables, servers taking orders and the buzz of quiet conversations 
around them.
“Ok, Mulder, what is this really about?” Scully’s arms are folded and she 
leans across the
table.
“Would you say our last several cases have pretty much gone ‘by-the-book’?  
I mean,
we’ve filed some rather mundane, by my standards I mean, reports, but we’ve 
had a
pretty strong success rate; wouldn’t you say?”
Scully thinks about responding, but realizes that Mulder just needs to get 
it out.  He
continues, “we haven’t run up any extraordinary bills, haven’t detoured to 
any other cases
along the way.  So, I ask you, why does Skinner want me out for 2 weeks?”
“Mulder,” Scully looks directly at him and smiles, “I don’t think this has 
anything to do
with a plot to keep you from your work.  It has everything to do with 
ensuring your
ability to continue to DO your work.  You remember; judgment and 
perspective?  Those
words were hammered into our heads as new Agents.  Now, don’t start telling 
me how
well-adjusted you are and how you don’t need to abide by any of the Bureau’s 
finer
dictums,” she tries not to laugh, but she has seen him trying to interrupt 
her non-verbally.
He’s flashing one of those smiles that is both sad and cute simultaneously.  
Those smiles
can stop her in her tracks, but she’s not about to let that happen here, 
now.  She
continues, “If you’re not actually leaving town, how about if we spend some 
of your time
off together?  I mean, I don’t know if I’ll be assigned to another case in 
the meantime and
I might be asked to do a workshop over at Quantico, but we might be able to 
do some day
trips.  My vacation time is getting close to the limit, too.  Skinner might 
think it a good
idea if I took some time, too.”
Mulder briefly looks down at the table, shifts in his seat, and then nods 
once, “Sounds
good to me, Scully.  Just what are your plans for me?”
They both realize they’ve never ordered and it’s now almost 11:30A.  They 
head back to
the office.

************************************************************************
Separate apartments; Thursday night; 8:00PM

Skinner has allowed Scully to use some time off, but only until Tuesday 
morning.  Then,
it’s back to work for her.  Scully briefly entertains the idea that Skinner 
is purposefully
not allowing her and Mulder the same time off.  “Well”, she thinks, “even if 
that’s the
case, the bottom line is we do have a little time together.”
She’s home, pacing.  She can’t seem to shake the sudden excitement she has 
at spending
some down time with Mulder.  It’s not as if they’ve never spent time alone 
together, it’s
that most of that time has been connected to an assigned (or a “Mulder 
unassigned”)
case.  Now, her excitement begins to turn to anxiety.  Just what will they 
do together?
What if it doesn’t go well?.  Now, her anxiety turns to frustration.  Why 
hasn’t he called?
We ALWAYS call each other (and, I will not pick up that phone and make the 
call
myself).  She thinks, “proud, are we Scully?  Wasn’t it you who suggested 
you’d spend
some time with him?  How about YOU give HIM a call…”
She turns on the water for a bath.

Tomorrow starts his official vacation; probably the first he’s actually 
taken in about 8
years!  It’s almost exciting to think he’ll still be in town.  For most 
people, vacation is a
time to get away from their everyday existence.  Mulder’s job takes him away 
from his
everyday existence; well, almost every day!  They’re predicting a late 
season wet snow
event (the latest in PC weather forecasting, he guesses.)  But, when he 
thinks about it, a
bad weather day on vacation is better than wonderful weather at work!
So, just when is Scully going to call him?  And, just HOW did his thinking 
jump from
weather to Scully?  He plops down on his couch and turns to his fish; “Well, 
guys, what
do you think? Is she going to call me?  What do you think we should do on my 
vacation?
Why do you think I’m getting so worked up over this?  Oh yeah, you don’t 
think…”
There’s a knock on his door.  For a few seconds, he just sits there.  He 
leans over  toward
the fish and says, “I’ll get it.”

“Hey, Mulder; I was just thinking”, says Scully as he opens the door.
“Do you want to continue in here?”, he smiles and asks her in.
They both drop onto the couch, turning to face each other.
“So, Scully, what are we going to do on my  vacation; aside from making sure 
that I
regain my perspective and good judgment?”
Scully smiles, “Who said ‘good’ judgment?  Remember, it’s MY time off, too.
Whenever I’m in town, I usually go to the gym in the morning.  Do you want 
to join me?”
Mulder starts to make a face and then remembers that many of the local gyms 
have tracks
and hoops; a match made in heaven if ever there were one.
Scully, seeing the look on Mulder’s face, says, “It’s ok, Mulder.  If you 
prefer not to go
with me, I’ll just catch up with you later.”
“No, Scully, it’s ok; I’d like to go!  Does your gym have a basketball 
court?”
“Yes”
“Then, I’m in!”


************************************************************************
Friday morning; 6:30AM; Scully’s Apartment

Scully awakens, remembering Mulder will arrive to pick her up to go to the 
gym.  After a
quick shower, she throws on a pair of black capri leggings and her cropped 
Quantico,
powder blue, tank.  She pulls her hair into a ponytail with a black 
scrunchie.  She grabs
her bottle of  lavender and sprays a short burst onto the back of neck.  She 
grabs her
tennis socks and sneakers and heads for the living room.  After putting them 
on, she
makes herself a cup of tea and sits down to wait for Mulder.
She assumes he’ll be late; the only time he’s ON time is when they’re 
departing for parts
unknown to work on an X-File..  She smiles at that thought.
Just as she finishes her tea, there’s a knock on her door.  She opens the 
door to see a
tossled head Mulder smiling, but still half asleep (“this man smiles at the 
oddest times”
she thinks).  He’s wearing long grey cotton shorts and a black FBI tee.  “He 
must want to
do the track first; he’s wearing his running shoes” she thinks.  She 
suddenly realizes that
she was also thinking, “and I’d love to watch him run…”  Well, THAT could 
easily be
arranged.
“So, Scully, are we set for our workout?”
“Let’s go, Mulder,” she says, pushing him backwards out of her doorway.

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

The Beltway Gym; Part I

The building is quite unimpressive from the outside.  A large, rectangular, 
wooden
structure, it sits on an almost entirely empty lot.  Across the street is a 
chain link fence
that overlooks the Beltway, the major artery around the DC area.  Mulder is 
instantly
attracted to the place, but can’t, for the life of him, figure out why 
Scully would like this
place OR how she found it.  He almost wants to ask, but figures it can keep.
The exterior does gives no clue to the interior.  The place is cutting edge, 
high tech.
Gleaming stainless steel-like walls, black cushion padded floors that appear 
to be
polished hourly, subdued and recessed overheard lighting just bright enough 
to see but
without being ostentatious and glitzy.  Now, Mulder REALLY wants to ask 
Scully why
she likes the place!  She is always surprising him.
The place isn't crowded right now.  The assortment of members and visitors 
is truly
diverse in every way.
Mulder scans the layout.  The track area is directly ahead.  To the right of 
the track is an
enclosed basketball court.  To the left of the track are two squash or 
handball courts.  The
floor above juts out over where they are standing and continues around the 
entire
perimeter.  It is glass enclosed, floor to ceiling.  Cardio equipment is 
interspersed with
lifting machines.  The equipment is lined up facing the windows and 
overlooking the
track, basketball and squash courts.  The people using the equipment look as 
if they
could just hop off and float down to the main floor; they are that close.
Mulder doesn’t realize that he’s been gazing a little too long at one 
particular gym visitor.
She’s on a stair machine directly over him and to the right.  He gets a nice 
view of how
well the machine works her glutes, quads and calves.  He starts to ponder 
other muscular
benefits she’s gaining when Scully spikes an elbow into his ribcage, tosses 
a towel his
way and heads for the stairs to the level above.
Mulder smiles his “ahh-scheese” smile, watches her walk away, and heads for 
the track.
After a few perfunctory stretches, 60 seconds of jogging in place and a few 
deep breaths,
Mulder hits the track.  His pace is slow to start.  He then begins to match 
his speed to
fellow runners; most of them men.
Scully pulls out a copy of the latest JMA, grabs her water bottle and heads 
for the EFX
machine closest to the track.  Always analyzing, she stops herself thinking, 
“now why did
I choose this machine when there were at least 4 available by the stairs?”  
Her own,
involuntary glance in the direction of the track is her answer.  She doesn’t 
change her
location.
After propping the JMA onto a magazine holder and putting her water bottle 
on the same
stand, she climbs on and puts on her glasses.  She becomes engrossed in both 
her
workout and the article on new latex-free autopsies.  She hits her stride 
about 10 minutes
into her workout and is breathing heavily.  She’s pumping her arms, as well 
as, her legs,
upping the intensity of the workout.  The sweat…
Is dripping down the front of her tank, Mulder realizes as he looks up each 
time he passes
her window.  He realizes they have something else in common; they  value a 
good, hard
workout.  As he runs, he keeps the picture of her strong, well-shaped legs 
and her very fit
abs in his mind.  There’s something about the sweat dripping down the front 
of her tank
and the seriousness of her reading glasses that ups the intensity of  his 
run around the
track making him…
breathe a little harder, Scully notices.  She was really concentrating on 
her reading, her
workout, Mulder?  As he runs toward her, she thinks she catches him glancing 
up a few
times.  His hair is hanging in his eyes and looks quite damp, “strike that, 
Scully!”, she
thinks, “it’s soaked!”.  As he passes, she briefly catches the retreating 
view.  Most of him
is soaked; “have we been here that long?”  His long, grey shorts describe 
beautifully one
of his (many) fine features, she thinks.  Her workout is fueled just a 
little more.
“At this rate, I’ll get in a week’s worth in a just a few short hours”, they 
simultaneously
think.

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

Beltway Gym, Part II

Scully  climbs off the EFX, puts away her glasses and JMA, towels herself 
off a bit and
heads for the weight machines.
Mulder walks a few last laps, grabs his water bottle and douses himself in 
the locker
room.  He towels himself off and heads for the weight machines.
Scully prefers free weights for part of her workout; usually upper body 
work.  She starts
with a slight decline bench, grabs some 25 lb dumbbells.  She’s in the 
middle of her first
set, breathing hard as she exhales, and suddenly notices a pair of rather 
hairy legs behind
her head.  They are attached to Mulder’s long, grey, somewhat damp, shorts.  
This
realization sends a slight tingling sensation through the middle of her body 
and almost
causes her to drop the weights.
Mulder notices the slight hesitation as she’s lowering the weights.  He 
quickly drops
down on one knee and lightly places his hands on her elbows, effectively 
steadying the
descent of the weights.
She realizes he’s spotting for her and lets him continue.  She doesn’t know 
for sure if
she’s having trouble finishing this first set because she’s recently 
increased the weight,
because she’s going so slow on the down phase or, possibly, because Mulder’s 
hands are
very warm on her elbows.  She doesn’t really take time to figure it out; she 
hasn’t
enjoyed her lifting in quite this way before.
Mulder is now a little closer to the end of the bench where her head is 
resting.  Her
ponytail has come loose and her hair is hanging down on the sides and off 
the back of the
bench.  He can smell her lavender oil and thinks it’s pleasantly 
intoxicating.  He notices
the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes and pumps the weights.  He 
also realizes that
unless he pays a little more attention to spotting her, he’s going to be the 
cause of a
lifting accident.  Hair still hanging in his face, he takes the weights from 
her hands and
then stands up.
Scully sits up.  As she’s about to thank him for his help (“and his 
closeness?” she
wonders), two male gym members walk up to her.
“Hey, D; what’s shaken’?” they ask.
“Twins, to boot” thinks Mulder as he pretends to smile at them, “D? Who’s 
‘D’?”, he
wonders.
“Oh, hi”, she says, smiling, “Ray, Ralph, this is my friend, Fox”.
“Ray and Ralph, huh; you’re kidding, right?”, Mulder thinks, trying not to 
smirk (too
much…)
The twins extend their hands to shake Mulder’s.  Mulder obliges, albiet 
reluctantly.
Ray and Ralph chat with Scully briefly, tell her they’ll workout with her 
next time, and
head for the downstairs area.
Mulder is just itching to find out the nature of the twins’ relationship 
with Scully.  He
opens with, “D?  They call you, ‘D’?”  He doesn’t succeed in stifling a 
laugh as he bends
over, hands on his bent knees.
Scully waits patiently for a while.  When she realizes that Mulder’s 
laughter is going to
continue indefinitely, she tosses her towel at him and heads down the 
stairs.  He’s not
two feet behind her.
“Aww, Scully, what’re you so ticked about?  I just never knew you had such a 
cute
nickname!”   He bursts into uncontrollable laughter again, almost tripping 
on the stairs.
Scully casts one backward glance at him to make sure he’s ok, then heads for 
the locker
room.
“So, ‘D’, what’s our next vacation activity?” Mulder heads for the men’s 
locker room.

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

Beltway Gym; Part III
As they head out the door, Mulder notices the extreme flush in Scully’s 
face.  They’ve
seen each other after chasing suspects, but this is different.  He realizes 
he loves how
natural she looks.
Scully is trying hard to stay even slightly angry with Mulder’s behavior.  
While she’s
“trying”, she’s also noticing that he looks rather healthy after his 
workout.  He’s changed
into some rather lightweight sweats that drape quite nicely over his body.
“So, ‘D’, I ask you…”, he begins.
“Don’t go there, Mulder; I’m warning you”, she glares up at him.
He gently grabs her by her shoulders and stops her in her tracks.  For just 
a minute, he
just looks into her eyes, but says nothing.
“Scully, just what are you so hot and bothered about?  What did I do now?”, 
he asks.
Scully reaches up and places her hands over his as they still hold her 
shoulders. “I’m not
hot and bothered, Mulder; I’m fine, really.”
“Normally, I’d take your word for it, but not today.  I thought we were 
trying to have
some fun together and you’re wound tighter than the concentric circles of 
Azkabar!  Help
me out here, Scully.”
“The ‘concentric circles of what, Mulder?  I don’t believe I’ve heard of 
them; whatever
they are.”  She starts to smile involuntarily; he has that effect on her.
“Well, Scully, the concentric circles were hand-laid spirals of mica-genic 
stones found
near the mountainous shores of…” he begins in earnest.
“Okay, I give, Mulder!  You made that up, Azkabar doesn’t exist.”  She’s 
laughing
heartily at this point and so is he.
He puts an arm around her and they walk to his car.
Mulder is happy, but not willing to let the earlier issue die.  He knows he 
could end up on
the silent end again, but he risks it. “Scully, can you tell me what was 
really going on
earlier?”
“It’s really nothing, Mulder.  Sometimes, I think that my relationships 
outside the Bureau
and away from you don’t seem important to you”, she replies.
He looks over at her and knows that as the words come out of his mouth, he 
is once again
heading for the doghouse, “You actually have relationships outside the 
Bureau?”
Much to his surprise, she doesn’t blast him!  She merely shakes her head 
slowly and says,
“How about if we let this one lie, Mulder?”
As they approach her apartment, he asks what’s next for their time off 
together.  She
tosses the question back at him since she picked the gym.
“I don’t know, Scully, but I have a nice set of videos and I’ve been told I 
make a mean
bowl of popcorn”, he replies with a smile.
“Mulder, I don’t think I’d really be interested in the content of your video 
collection;
we’ve been over this ground before, I think. But, you do make a mean bowl of 
popcorn.”
He ponders this turn of events briefly.  He then has a plan.
“Scully, have you recently done your strength and agility reqs for this 
month?”
“As a matter of fact, Mulder, I haven’t.  What did you have in mind?”
“Well, since we can pick it…how about a little workout of my choice?”  
They’ve reached
her apartment and the car is parked.  He turns toward her and smiles widely.
“Mulder, just exactly what type of workout did you have in mind?” she smiles 
back.
“Have you ever done one of those Tae Bo/kickboxing classes?” he asks with a 
I’ve-got-a-
hidden-agenda look.
“Yes, Mulder, as a matter of fact I have done quite a few of those workouts. 
  Are you
challenging me?”
“Well, no; I mean yes.  No, let me explain.  I’m not talking about one of 
your hundreds of
bodies packed into a huge gym with someone yelling, ‘kick! jab!’, etc.  
That’s too easy.
I’m talking me and you, you and me, one on one at the local boxing ring.”
“You’re on, Mulder.”  She grabs her gym bag and opens the door.  Before he 
can say
good-bye, she’s running up the stairs to her building and in the front door.

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

Saturday afternoon, Mulder’s Apartment

It’s snowing on and off.  That big, wet, 
can-almost-see-every-individual-flake kind of
snow.
“Oh, hey, Scully; c’mon in.”
Scully smiles to herself.  Mulder certainly likes to “dress” the parts he 
plays.  He’s
wearing long, black, ripstop nylon boxing shorts, his black tee with the 
sleeves rolled up
almost to his shoulders (“where DOES he get all of those black tees?” she 
ponders)  He
already has wrist raps on and is holding his lightweight punching bag 
gloves.  He grabs
his grey, hooded sweatshirt, unzips and puts it on.
Scully is wearing black lycras, knee length, with grey, cotton knit shorts 
ofver them and a
teal cropped tee.  She pulls her sweatshirt over her head.
Her hair is just pushed back behind her ears with two barrettes holding it 
back there.
They give each other the once over; although both will deny it.
“So, Mulder, are we ready to go to your favorite boxing ring?” Scully 
taunts.
“You know it, Scully.  I hope you’re prepared for a little weaving and 
bobbing because
I’m going to make you run for your life.”
They walk quickly through the fast-falling snow; finding it strange that 
it’s a little bit
warm and it’s snowing.

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

The Ring; local boxing gym, Part I

“There’s really a ring here,” Scully thinks surprised.  She really doesn’t 
like the idea of
making a spectacle of herself with a bunch of people she doesn’t know.  
Luckily, she
discovers that that’s not quite what Mulder has in mind.
She follows him over to the north side of the ring and notices to 
side-by-side speed bags
and punching bags.  He tosses her a set of gloves, but she pulls her own out 
of her jacket.
“So, Scully, do you want me to pull a stool up to the speedbag for you?” 
Mulder is
admirably trying not to laugh too hard.
“No, Mulder.  As kind as that request was, I think I’ll just ask Macho Man 
over there to
lower it for me.”
Mulder quickly stops her, “I can do that for you, Scully.”
“Gee, thanks, Mulder; you’re so strong,” she says, running her gloved hand 
along his
biceps.
They both start with their speed bag.  They each work up a steady rhythm.  A 
few heads
turn to watch this interesting couple pound the bags.  They start to draw a 
small crowd.
Tandem speed bags is a new event at the Ring.
Mulder moves over to the punching bag and starts a series of jabs and hooks. 
  One of the
on-lookers comes over to steady his bag so he can land some kicks.
Another on-looker moves over to Scully’s bag to do the same for her.  He 
seems
particularly willing to help her out…  Mulder notices, but continues his 
patterns of kicks.
Scully starts out slowly, but ends up kicking the bag with a ferocity that 
surprises even
Mulder.  She’s landing some rather nicely formed roundhouses.  Each time she 
turns to
step into the roundhouse kick, Mulder notices just how finely toned her body 
is.  His
kicks are becoming a little sloppy.  He realizes he’s not paying attention 
to what he’s
doing.  He has stopped kicking completely and is now watching Scully with 
some of the
others.
She’s now alternating between punches and kicks; letting them fly with an 
energy she
doesn’t realize she has.
Mulder pulls his sweatshirt on and pull his hood up.  Now that he’s stopped, 
he’s getting
a chill.  He walks over behind Scully as she pauses, takes a few, short 
inhales, and places
his hands lightly on her shoulders.  “Focus your kicks straight on this 
time; no upperbody
moves”, he says quietly, close to her ear.
She doesn’t flinch or pull away.  She’s almost not aware of anyone else 
around her other
than Mulder.  She smells the sweat, feels the slightly rough texture of his 
gloves through
the thin and wet fabric of her tee.
She does as he suggests and focuses her kicks dead center.  At one point, 
she almost
slides backwards on the sweat pooling on the black flooring.  Mulder is 
there to steady
her, his hands firmly gripping her upperarms and setting her upright again.
She realizes she’s exhausted and breathing very heavily. (“What is it about 
our time off
that keeps bringing us to sweaty places?”)
“Mulder, I’m thinking a break and lots of water would be a good thing right 
about now,”
she pants.
After a round of unexpected applause from the gathered on-lookers, they head 
for the
water cooler.

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

The Ring; Part II

“Mulder, just how far do I have to walk to get some water?”
“It’s right back here, Scully.”  He leads her to the walled hallway and they 
disappear
behind it.  Scully props herself up against the wall and takes a few very 
deep breaths.
Mulder gives her a paper cup of water and drinks one himself.
She is still breathing hard, but the water has helped.  She tosses the cup 
into the
wastecan.
He is watching her.  Her eyes are closed and she’s trying to slow her 
breathing with a
succession of deep breaths.  He takes her hands, says her name.
She looks up at him and says his name with a questioning tone.  She notices 
the way his
damp hair falls onto his forehead out of his hood.
He slowly pulls her toward him.  She can feel the wall of heat emanating 
from his body.
She knows she’s producing that same intensity.  His hands slide down her 
back, feeling
the wet fabric of her tee.  His hands move lower.
She has her bent arms pressed up against his abs and chest.  His tee is 
plastered to him.
Her face is up against his tee.
“Since when have you been so into boxing, Scully?” he murmurs into her hair.
As he pulls his face up out of her hair, she lifts her face up and starts to 
answer him.  She
rethinks her action.
Their very warm and wet lips meet.
“Have I started to regain any of my perspective and judgment, Scully?”

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

Apartment Interlude; Sunday morning

Scully has the  Sunday paper spread out on her coffee table.  The snow is 
still falling, but
not sticking.  She pauses to watch the flakes and her mind moves from the 
daily news to
Mulder.  She removes her glasses and smiles.  She begins her analysis:
“What IS this thing between us?”
“Where did THAT come from, there is no ‘thing’ between us.”
“That kiss at the Ring was nothing, Scully?  Just something one does after a 
great
workout; is that it?”
“Sparks fly when we touch each other.”
“Ok, Ms. Scientist; you’ve laid out some of the facts and posed the 
questions.  You’ve
also used the discovery method.  So, what’s the answer?”
Her smile broadens, she puts her glasses back on and turns to the magazine 
section.

Mulder finishes feeding his fish; “hope you’re having a good Sunday, guys.”
He paces back and forth in front of his window.  He pauses to watch the 
flakes and his
mind moves to Scully.
He walks back over to his fish and starts talking to them:
“So, guys, what do you thinks is really going on?”
“We do this little dance; a few steps forward, on giant step back.  But it 
sure is fun, this
‘dance’.”
“We’ve touched each other physically, emotionally; it just feels right.”
“I could have been decked, guys, kissing her in public like that!  No, it’s 
not illegal, it’s
‘Scully Rules’.”

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

Apartment Split Scene; Sunday afternoon

Rrrrriiinnng! “Scully.”
“Scully, it’s me.  What’re you doing?”
“Just standing at my window, watching the snow fall.  What about you?”
“Same.”
“Do you plan to watch it snow all night?”
“Are you suggesting something else, Mulder?  If so, it better not involve 
sweating.”
“Well, then I guess I better hang up.”
They are both pacing in front of their apartment windows; smiling on and 
off.
“Mulder.”
“Actually, Scully, I was thinking of something a little different.”
“I’m listening, Mulder.”
“It’s a surprise.”
His face is serious; “will she go?”
Her face is amused.  She often enjoys the back and forth of their 
conversations.  She
enjoys letting him stew just a little bit.
“What do I wear, Mulder, and what time should I be ready?”
“Casual, comfortable, I’ll pick you up at 8 sharp.”
“No sweating, Mulder; I mean it”, she says trying to keep the silly grin 
from her face.

************************************************************************
Making Plans; late Sunday afternoon

Mulder quickly hangs up; he has work to do if he’s going to pull this off.  
He calls Burt
Sharpe, a former Academy buddy.  Burt owns the planetarium by the water.  
Burt also
owes Mulder a big favor and Mulder is about to collect.
Mulder then calls the local caterer.  He needs an indoor sophisticated 
picnic for two and
he needs it yesterday.
Trying to dribble the basketball and make grand arrangements is not turning 
out to be a
good idea.  The basketball gets dropped and rolls into his bedroom.
Mulder heads for the shower.

Scully is intrigued.  She has to admit that even though Mulder isn’t one for 
making major
plans or being overly organized, he knows how to have a good time.
She’s torn between a feeling she hasn’t had since her college days; that 
giddy, over-
inflated feeling that everything is right with the world and the hard 
reality of their
situation.
She knows she can trust Mulder; God knows she’s done so more times than she 
can
count.
She knows he feels the same way about her.
She’s also thinking she feels much, much more than that and still hasn’t 
decided if that’s
the best thing.  Good, better, best; how about ‘fun’, Scully!
She puts on a pair of black stretch pants that flare a little at the calf.  
She pulls on her
square-heeled, black, zip boots.  She grabs for her sapphire blue velour, 
scoop neck shirt.
A quick head-down flip of her hair, a little make-up and she’s ready.
“Ready for what, Scully?” she asks herself in the mirror.  No answer is 
forthcoming.  She
spritzes on some cologne.  She grabs her black, leather, labcoat, jacket.

Mulder’s all in black; jeans, ribbed turtleneck sweater, leather jacket, 
bucks.
They do that “mutual admiration” thing again without saying a word.  “Is 
this what he
means by communicating telepathically?” Scully wonders.
They head for his car.

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

On Their Way to Where? Sunday, 8PM

As she opens the passenger door, she tries to look into the back seat.  She 
notices a fleecy
blanket that seems to be hiding a big lump.
She tries to reach for the blanket, but Mulder is quicker.  With a quick, 
“uh, un, Scully!”,
he pulls her into the front seat.  “I said it was a surprise!”
“I know, Mulder, but you know how us scientists are naturally curious.  
That’s what
makes us so good at our profession!”
“Well, try to suspend your professional outlook for just a little while, 
will you, Scully?”
They pull away from the curb.
“Do I get any hints?”
“Nope; don’t think so.”
“You’re not going to blindfold me?”
“Hmmm, hadn’t thought about that, but maybe later.”
“Mulder, what ARE we doing tonight?”
“Just relax, Scully.  Remember, you’re helping me regain my perspective and 
good
judgment.”
“It’s just ‘judgment’, Mulder; ‘good’ is not part of it.”
“Whatever you say, Scully.”

************************************************************************
The Big Sky Planetarium, Sunday night, Part I

They drive up and everything is dark.  The snow is still falling and still 
it doesn’t stick.
Scully opens the door and immediately hears the clanging bell-like sounds of 
the buoys
and the gentle lapping of waves nearby.  She can barely make out a rather 
large, dome-
shaped, building in front of them.  The entire area is utterly deserted save 
for her and
Mulder.  She can barely see the stars through the snow even though there are 
no lights
anywhere.
Her curiousity is piqued big time!
Mulder removes the fleece blanket and picnic basket from the floor in the 
back of the
car.  He tells Scully to ‘back off” and leads the way.
“Mulder, what is this place?”
“You’ll see in a minute.”
She makes a few half-hearted attempts to distract him so she can see what’s 
in the fleece
bundle, but she doesn’t succeed.  She does get him to smile, although she 
doesn’t know
this because she can’t see his face.
When they arrive at the main doors, Mulder kicks it with his foot.  It 
opens, letting a
small patch of dim, soft, light flow out from it.  The person opening the 
door nods to
Mulder and waves his arm, indicating they should come in.
Scully looks at the man, also dressed all in black, including a black hood 
that doesn’t let
her see his face.  “Just WHAT is going on here?” she asks herself.
“Scully, follow me up the stairs here.”
When they reach the top, she notices small, yet amazingly bright, white 
lights all over the
ceiling above her.  It suddenly dawns on her that they’re in a planetarium.  
Leave it to
Mulder to find a way for us to view the sky even when we can’t be outside.
Mulder puts the basket down and unfurls the blanket onto the carpeting.  Off 
to the side
is a low table with small, lantern, candle-holders.  Mulder lights each one.
He unpacks the basket.  He places a bottle of champagne and two stemmed 
flutes on the
table first.  He then pulls out a chafing dish with dry ice packs.  The dish 
contains
samples of various exotic fruits, some Brie, a small glass bowl of caviar 
and some small,
hothouse strawberries dipped in dark chocolate; Scully’s favorite.

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

Big Sky Planetarium; Part II

He suddenly realizes that Scully isn’t right behind him.  He turns around to 
find her
sitting in one of the reclining chairs, ‘stargazing’.
He walks up behind her and places a hand on her shoulder. “Surprise,” he 
says quietly.
Music by John Serrie is playing just loud enough to be heard.  Otherwise, 
all is still.
Mulder also reaches for the remote Burt has provided.  He clicks it once and 
the ‘sky’
begins to move slowly.
Scully’s head leans farther back to watch the stars move.  Mulder lets his 
fingers float
through her hair.  Her scalp tingles.
“Mulder, this is wonderful.”
“There’s more where that came from.  Come over here, Scully.”
He takes her hand as she stands up and leads her to the fleece blanket.  
Mulder has
moved it next to the table.

************************************************************************Bi
Big Sky Planetarium; Part III

There is just enough light from the lantern candle holders.  Scully looks at 
the spread in
front of her, smiles and shakes her head.
“Mulder, you’re always surprising me!”  She kneels, leans toward him and 
kisses his
cheek lightly.
The candlelight hides his blush, but not his smile back at her.
He pours champagne into the stemmed flutes and hands one to her.  They hold 
the flutes
close to one and other and make silent wishes.  The flutes clink and they 
taste the
champagne.  Mulder’s taste is a small swallow; Scully finishes hers in one 
long swallow.
Both feel the warmth of the bubbles flow through them.
Scully moves closer to the table.  She picks up a piece of star fruit and 
nibbles on it,
making a slight face at the slightly tart taste.
She spreads some Brie onto a piece of pear and puts it to Mulder’s mouth.  
He bites half
of it and Scully takes the other half.
“It’s getting warmer in here”, Scully thinks.  She removes her leather 
jacket.
“Someone must’ve turned the heat up in here”, thinks Mulder.  He notices how 
the deep
blue of Scully’s shirt clings to her every curve.
Mulder pours them more champagne.  They drink it and lay back on the fleece 
blanket to
watch the heavens move.  Mulder uses the clicker to  change the show.
The music is a little louder and the bass is heavy in the speakers.  They 
both feel the not
unpleasant vibrations through the floor and blanket.
Mulder reaches over to the table and grabs a strawberry.  He rolls on his 
side, props
himself  up on his elbow, and holds the strawberry dangling over Scully’s 
mouth.
She bends her knees so her feet are flat on the floor and comes up onto both 
elbows.  She
looks at Mulder.  She bites the strawberry while looking at him looking at 
her.
She has strawberry juice on her chin and chocolate on her lower lip.  Mulder 
removes
both the juice and the chocolate with his tongue.
Scully can tell he is exercising much restraint.  His breathing is somewhat 
labored and
his heart is beating faster.  She recognizes the symptoms both as a doctor 
and as someone
simultaneously experiencing the same symptoms.
They are both thinking, “do I talk now or do I follow my heart and body”.
They have shared so much over the years and within the last few months.  
Some of the
sharing is verbalized, some of the sharing is just mutual knowing.  
Sometimes the words
are needed, sometimes the words say nothing but the actions speak volumes.  
They have
declared their very beings to each other.
Scully lays back on the floor.  Mulder moves closer and is almost over her.  
She reaches
up and runs her hands through his hair.  She watches his face; his eyes 
close slowly, he
smiles and at once looks serious again.  The man wears emotions like the 
ocean waves
roll.
She feels as if she’s testing herself.  Her every nerve ending is firing 
erratically.  She is
overwhelmed with emotion for this man who can simultaneously exasperate her 
and
bring her to the brink of fireworks.  She knows just how easy it would be to 
pull him
toward her, grab hold and never let go.  She also relishes their slow 
exploration of  each
other.  It is painfully, excrutiatingly exciting.

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

Big Sky Planetarium; Part IV

Mulder watches Scully lay down.  He smells her perfume as he moves over her. 
  He feels
her soft hands moving through his hair.  His body is responding as if on 
auto-pilot.  His
very being is expanding with emotion for this woman who fulfills so many  
wants and
desires for him.  He feels only the present moment, but knows of those 
preceeding this
one.  He thinks that he should tell himself to breathe because his heart is 
racing.  He
touches her arm and feels the softness of the fabric over the taut muscles.  
He moves his
hand down along her ribcage , rests it on her hip; gently rolling her over 
onto her side to
face him.
The stars continue to move across the heavens.  The music weaves an 
intricate web
around them.
“Mulder”, Scully whispers near his ear, “your judgment is VERY good.”

Big Sky Planetarium; Part V

She props herself up on her elbow, still facing him.
To say they are both breathing quite rapidly is an understatement.
Time is standing still; time is expanding around them.
There is a knock on the door behind them.  Mulder rolls onto his back and is 
on his feet
very quickly.  Scully nearly jumps out of her skin.  She is so into the 
intensity of the
moment. She is physically and emotionally primed.  She hears snippets of 
conversation
between Mulder and:  is it his friend who has given them use of the 
facility?  Is it the
Man in Black?
She hears Mulder say, “No, not now!”  He’s trying to keep it to a dull 
whisper, but she’s
sure he’s not pleased by the interruption.  Finally, Mulder takes something 
from the man
and thanks him.  He returns to Scully, sits down and holds something up in 
front of her.
It’s a key.
“They were going to close the place.  Instead, we’re locked in for the 
night.”  Mulder is
smiling from ear to ear.  Scully can barely make out the look on his face in 
the
candlelight and “starlight”.

The mood has changed.  The intensity shifts from unresolved tension to 
playful flirtation,
but it is still intense…
“Mulder, we can’t stay in here all night.”
“We can’t?”
“I have to go back to work on Tuesday, Mulder. I have things to do 
tomorrow.”
“Scully, there’s still a lot of time until Tuesday.  I can help you do 
whatever ‘things’ you
need to do tomorrow.  There’s still so much to do until then.”
“Something tells me, Mulder, that my surprise isn’t over yet…”  Scully is 
smiling.
Mulder, smiling broadly, can see her since she is facing the candlelight.  
She’s bathed in
a soft glow.  He kisses the key and dangles it from his fingers in front of 
her.
Scully seizes the advantage and grabs it from Mulder.  She stands quickly 
and places it in
her back pocket.  She slowly backs up against a row of seats.
Mulder is taking his time moving toward her.  He’s whistling that 
‘I’m-trying-to-be-
nonchalant” tune everyone whistles when they’re pretending you don’t know 
what’s
coming…
“Mulder, you just stay right where you are!  You know I want to stay, but I 
can’t be here
all night and you know that.  The key stays with me.  Do we have a deal?”
“No deals, Scully.  Don’t you remember your Special Agent training?  When I  
have the
advantage, I  don’t make deals.”
Scully is laughing so hard, she’s having a hard time staying standing.  
“Mulder, I think
you’ve twisted the policy just a bit.”  She realizes that if she wants to 
keep her advantage,
she has to move away from the seats.  She quickly steps to her right, moving 
away from
Mulder, and runs down the steps to the main control area.
Mulder is momentarily caught off guard, but pursues her.  When he reaches 
the control
area, he can’t see her.
Scully has ducked underneath the very large, circular, raised control 
platform and is on
the farthest side from Mulder.
“Scully, I know you’re very close; I can smell your perfume.  You know it 
will go much
better for you if you come out on your own, don’t you?”
He is greated with utter silence.  He wishes he had the remote because the 
music is
making it hard for him to hear her movements.  He tries to access the volume 
from the
control platform, but it’s encased in plexiglass.  It appears to be more for 
show, allowing
visitors to see the archaic version of the controls.
Before he can react, Scully is behind him.  She is standing on the first 
step and has her
body pressed up against his.  She reaches around his body, placing her arms 
over his at
the elbows.  She bends her own elbows and pulls her hands back toward her 
body.  She
has locked his arms in place.  Her chin is resting near his right shoulder.
“Pretty clever, Scully”, Mulder says with some admiration.  “However, don’t 
think this is
anywhere NEAR over.”

Scully, with her face still very close to his body, says, “Mulder, it would 
appear that you
are in no position to make idle threats, are you now?”  “Mulder?”  “Mulder?” 
  As Scully
wonders why he is so quiet in response to her taunt…
She finds herself sitting on the edge of the raised control platform with 
her arms pinned
at her side.  Mulder is standing between her legs.  He playfully licks her 
chin, her lips, the
tip of her nose.
Scully nearly melts.  She can taste the champagne on his breath.  She cannot 
move her
arms, but she wraps her legs around his hips.
When she has regained her breath, she asks, “Mulder, are you looking for the 
key?”
Mulder moves toward her ear and says, “Actually, Scully, I found what I was 
looking
for.”  He very quickly and lightly nibbles her ear lobe, let’s her arms go, 
turns and walks
back up the stairs.  He pours them both more champagne.
Scully is still sitting on the platform with a look of utter confusion on 
her face.  She takes
the kep from her pocket and leaves it on the edge of the platform.  “I 
wonder if this show
includes sunrise?” she thinks and walks up the stairs very slowly.
Mulder is sitting cross-legged on the floor near the candles on the table.  
He looks up as
Scully approaches and pats the floor next to him, motioning her to join him.
Scully stands there with her hands on her hips, leaning her head to one 
side, trying to
figure out this scenario.  She can easily picture Mulder as a toddler, 
exploring and acting
upon his environment with sheer abandon.  She can picture him in grade 
school
alternately charming his teachers with his winning smile and exasperating 
them with his
pranks.  She sees him in high school, basketball and baseball on his mind, 
smiling shyly
at the girls and hanging out with a mixed crowd.  To say he is “in touch 
with his inner
child” is accurate, but only so far as one can figure out which of his 
children at what
point in his life!  God, how she enjoys trying to figure him out!

Scully sits down.  Mulder reaches over and gently pulls her to him.  She’s 
sitting between
his legs, leaning up against him.  He’s propped up against the wall facing 
the table with
the now seriously-shorter candles.  Scully tilts her head up and Mulder 
feels her face up
against his.  It’s a very pleasant sensation.  They sit quietly for a few 
moments.
His knees are bent on either side of her.  His arms are wrapped loosely 
around her.  She is
holding onto his hands which are clasped in front of her.  One leg is 
straight out in front
of her, the other is bent at the knee.
Mulder breaks the silence first.  “Scully, what’re you thinking right now?”
She feels him talking; his face is still touching hers.  She turns her head 
just slightly, as if
to look at him.  “I’m thinking how much fun you can be.”
“Is that all?”
“I’m thinking that you and I-we don’t get enough time together; together, 
alone”
Mulder tightens his hold on her.  She nestles into him.
“Mulder?”  “Yes, Scully?”  She slides out of his arms and turns to face him. 
  She looks
into his eyes, then glances away.  The look she sees is the way she feels.
He places one hand on either side of her face and turns her back to him. 
“Scully, why are
you looking away?”
“I’m not sure what this is; where it’s going; IF it CAN go, how it—“  Mulder 
holds up his
index finger as if to say, “stop”, or “quiet”.  He touches the finger to her 
lips.
“We should have this conversation, Scully. You have questions.  I have 
questions.  I
know what I feel Scully.  If you want to leave now, I’ll understand.  If you 
want to talk
now, we’ll talk.  You say the word; it’ll happen, Scully.”  They look at 
each other.

She is speechless.  She is overwhelmed with the sight, the sound, the touch 
(oh, God, the
touch) of him!  She is not used to relationships that combine this intensity 
with this depth
of emotion.  Yes; she has lived through some rather wild, earlier years; 
making her
choices as quickly as one chooses what to have for dinner.  She has also had 
relationships
she believed would “go somewhere”.  Her experience with investing her heart 
and soul in
another outside of her family have brought heartache and soul searching, but 
not what
she would describe as depth of love.  She puzzles often over the nature of 
her relationship
with Mulder.  Their long journey together has been a ride her earlier, wild 
self would
describe as “over the top”.  Yet, if she is to be honest with herself, she 
is still present.
She is still enjoying the journey.  She is sometimes scared by just how much 
she is
enjoying this journey.  She senses that if she were to just let herself go 
completely, he
would be there to support her and, probably, love her.

He has tried on and off over their years together, to hide or mask his true 
feelings for her.
It has not been easy.  His relationships over the year would best be 
described as (IF he’s
being honest with himself…) severe flirtations, carnal, lustful and 
occasionally loving.
It’s not that he lacks desire for or understanding of the way of 
relationships.  It is more
the circumstances of his life that have intermingled with his need to 
believe, yet doubt.
This combination often leads him to leap first, consider results, later.
He realizes, not without some wonder, that it is different with this 
relationship; with
Scully.  She has not ever been one to believe easily.  She doubts first; 
waiting for her
proof.  Yet, she is also giving in a way he has never experienced.  She 
stands by his side
in the midst of her own personal turmoil. He often cannot fathom the reasons 
she stays.
He occasionally allows himself the luxury of thinking it could be because 
she feels
something for him.  He know without a doubt that he will take whatever time 
is needed
to understand and nurture this relationship.

“Mulder, let’s put our conversation on hold for just a little bit.  I you to 
continue with
your surprise.  However, you should know that I think I have your little 
plan figured out.”
“Oh, you do, do you?  I wouldn’t bet all your yogurt dressing salads on it, 
Ms. Scully…”
he smiles playfully.  “Ok, here’s the deal.  We pack up here and we go 
somewhere else.”
“There’s MORE, Mulder??  Are you trying to recreate those all nighters we 
pulled at the
Academy studying for exams?  Are you thinking I no longer need any sleep to 
function?
Are you___”
Scully doesn’t get to finish her last in a series of questions because 
Mulder has kissed
her. He has achieved the desired effect and no more questions are 
forthcoming.
They re-cork the champagne and take a few of the remaining strawberries.  
Mulder stores
the uneaten caviar and the rest of the Brie in the small refrigerator in the 
control room
behind them.  Only a few of the taller and larger candles remain lit.
As Scully reaches for her jacket, Mulder grabs the remote.  The music 
changes first.  It is
“I’m Gonna Find My Baby” from Moby.  The beat is definite, pulsing and 
insistent.  Her
turns up the volume.  He then adjusts the “heavens”.  The “stars”  are 
popping up in
brilliant bursts overhead.

He comes up behind her and places his hands on her shoulders, moving her 
forward
down the steps.  As they walk down the stairs, he whispers in her ear, 
“Scully, I know
you have the key somewhere down here.  We’ll just have to dance our way to 
it.”  Scully
laughs.
When they arrive at the bottom of the steps, he turns her around to face 
him.  They place
their hands on each other’s shoulders.  They are Scully’s arm length apart, 
gently pushing
each other away and back to the beat.  He then grabs her hands and they 
begin to move
toward and away from each other to the music.  Their eyes never leave each 
other.  As
the beat picks up, Scully places her hands once again on his shoulders.  He 
places his
hands on her hips and pulls her close.  The sensation of his hands guiding 
her hips against
him is driving her mad.  She momentarily attempts to create a little space 
between them,
then wonders why she would want to.  His hands move to her waist and across 
her back.
Her shirt slides up and his hands are on her bare skin.  Neither is able to 
think; they only
feel.  She raises onto her toes and kisses his lips, pulling his head down 
to her.  He now
has his arms criss-crossed around her back, his hands holding her sides.   
They are as
close to one and other as possible without being one.

“Mulder, we, I, uh…”   He kisses her back. “Scully, we should leave.”  He 
slowly and
gently takes a step back, his hands trailing against the skin of her abs.  
They both breathe
in deeply.  They briefly hug each other, not wanting to really end their 
contact.  They
both know this is not the end.
Scully steps back, walks to where she has left the key.  Mulder waits for 
her and takes her
hand as they walk up the steps.  Scully, who has previously suggested 
leaving, is hesitant.
She does not want the mood of this evening to fade.
Mulder blows out the candles, wets his fingers with some champagne and 
touches each
wick to make sure it is truly extinguished.  He grabs the champagne bottle 
and the
blanket in one arm.  He retakes Scully’s hand in his other.  Before they 
reach the door,
Scully pulls gently on Mulder’s hand.  “Mulder, this was a wonderful 
surprise”, she
smiles at him.  “I know Scully, I know.”  She playfully punches his arm.

They open the door to the lobby area.  Burt and his buddies have thankfully 
left the
lighting low.  They can see to navigate, but are not blinded by the change 
in lighting.
They open the doors to the parking lot and notice that the snow is still 
falling.  “Mulder,
I’ve lost all track of time.”  “How many minutes are you missing, Scully?”
“No, really, Mulder, what time is it?”
“I’d guess it’s around 2AM.”
It’s beautifully quiet.  The snow is falling and there is a wet, thick 
coating on the car.
Out over the water, the waves are rolling toward the low cement wall of the 
parking lot.
They both stand still for a few moments.  They then head for the car. Mulder 
puts the
blanket and other items into the car and closes the door.
Scully looks at him questioningly.
Not one to let a potentially playful moment pass, Mulder grabs some of the 
wet snow off
the roof of the car. He quickly reaches behind her and places some of the 
snow against
her neck.  She jumps, she yells; laughing.  “You really know how to end a 
wild evening,
don’t you, Mulder?”  She reaches for some snow, but he reaches her first.  
“You don’t
want to get this started, Scully.”
“I don’t want to start this, Mulder??? ME??”  She’s laughing and still 
reaching for the
snow.

She is quick, but he is taller and his longer legs take longer strides.  She 
has snow in her
hands, he has his arms around her.  She manages to toss some snow up and hit 
him
squarely in the face.  She is up against the car, facing him.  He has 
released his hold on
her to wipe the snow from his face.
She is still laughing, trying to hold him off.  He shares some of the snow 
he has wiped
from his face.  He puts it into her shirt and then leans against her.
“Mulder, are we going for extremes tonight?”
“No, Scully; we’re leaving, remember?”
She is speechless, she is cold and her teeth are chattering.
They haven’t changed positions; she is up against the car and he now has his 
hands on the
roof of the car, standing in front of her and very close.
“Are you happy, Mulder?”
“Seriously, Scully?”
He takes one hand off the roof of the car and touches the front of her wet 
shirt lightly.
“You’re all wet”, he says quietly.  “Mulder, you are the master of 
understatement”, she
replies.
“I can help you warm up, Scully; especially since you probably think I’m 
responsible.”
“I don’t know Mulder, you don’t have such a hot track record sticking to 
your own
plan…” she says with a small smile on her face.  She doesn’t move away, she 
doesn’t
protest.

They are both lightly covered in wet snow.  The air has a slight chill to 
it.  The waves
continue to move against the low cement wall.
Mulder looks at her, then removes his other hand from the roof of the car.  
He first places
both hands on her shoulders.  She is breathing quickly.
He places one hand on her wrist; gently holding her arm against the car.  He 
moves the
other hand up under her shirt. He looks into her eyes.  Her skin is wet and 
slightly cold to
his touch.
His hand is cold on her skin, but it sends warmth through the center of her 
body.  She
inhales deeply at his touch; his warmth.  He drops down onto one knee in 
front of her.
"Mulder…"
He lifts the hem of her shirt a few inches.  He kisses her skin and then 
drags his lips up
higher.  He releases her wrist.  She has her hands on his head.  Her head is 
back against
the car.
"Mulder?"  He stops.  He looks up at her.  "Scully?"
She takes a deep breath and pulls his face back to her body.  She slides 
down the side of
the car until she is eye-to-eye with him.
“Remember… that conversation …we’re… going to… have, Mulder?” she says 
catching
her breath.
He nods slowly.  “Tomorrow, Scully?”
“Mulder, just so you know, I can’t think of a place I would rather be right 
now or a
person I’d rather be there with.  I just have to sort through all of this 
before there’s more
to sort.  We’re tired, Mulder.”  “Speak for yourself, Scully”, he smiles and 
laughs.  “Let’s
go.”  He opens the door for her and hands her the fleece blanket. She pulls 
her seatbelt
across and settles down under the blanket.  Her head falls back against the 
headrest.
Scully is asleep before Mulder is out of the parking lot.
***********************************************
Scully awakens as Mulder pulls up in front of her building.  “Scully, let me 
walk you in.”
“No, Mulder, I’m ok; really.  I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed tonight. 
Well, I could,
but…”
“Scully, we both need to sleep.  We can think and talk tomorrow.  Remember, 
you have
things to do and I’m going to help you.”
“Yeah, did I tell you what ‘things’, Mulder?” she asks groggily.
“Scully, go to sleep.  Maybe I’ll come draw a bath for you in the morning.”
“Ok, Mulder.” Scully says barely awake enough to get out of the car, not 
really hearing
what he is saying, but not allowing Mulder to help her in.  She is not sure 
what will
happen if he comes in with her.  It is not him she is unsure of…
She heads for her bedroom.  She knows she is very tired.  She also knows she 
feels
wonderful.  As she tosses her jacket on the edge of her bed, kicks off her 
boots, she tells
herself she’ll think about everything tomorrow…
****************************************************

Monday, 9AM, Scully’s Apartment
Her phone is ringing, but Scully isn’t sure if it’s her home phone or cell 
phone.  After
reaching and haphazardly slapping around on her night stand, she finds her 
home phone.
It is ringing; a little too loudly for this time of day, she thinks.
“Hullo, Scully”, she says wearily into the phone.  “Who would be calling me 
at this
hour”, she thinks.
“Hey sleepyhead, it’s me”, Mulder is cheerful and chipper.  Scully is not.
“Mulder, do you know what time it is?” she asks.
“As a matter of fact , I do.  It’s 9AM.  What is it with you and time 
Scully?  That’s two
references in less than 12 hours.  Are you contemplating the fluctuation of 
time
variables?”
“Mulder, I don’t even know what you just said”, she mumbles.  She then 
stops, jumps up
and says a little more coherently into the phone, “Mulder, it’s really 9AM!”
“Well, now that you have confirmed that I can tell time, what do you say; 
time for a
bath?”
“I’ve got to get going.  I have things to do today!”
“Scully, slow down.”
“Mulder, come pick me up in an hour, ok?  Don’t be a minute late or I’ll be 
forced to do
something wicked.”
“Yes, oh keeper of the time clock. Do I get to choose which wicked thing you 
do if I am
late?” Mulder starts to hang up.
“Mulder?”, she ignores his question.  “Why don’t we forget the car for 
today?”
“Scully, are we back in the workout business?  You do realize that I don’t 
actually live in
walking distance, right?”
Scully sighs, “Yes, Mulder, I do know that you can’t walk over here.  I was 
thinking
maybe we could just ride the metro for a change.  We’re always driving 
somewhere.
Why don’t we pretend we live in the city and just be taken where we need to 
go?’
“Are you forgetting that you’re the one who has the errands to run?”
“You’re not coming?”
They both start laughing.  “I’ll meet you at the metro stop nearest your 
place, Scully, in
one hour.”

Monday, 11A, Greater DC Metropolitan Transit Station #14
The day is warmer, the wet snow is nowhere in sight.  Scully sits on the 
granite wall of
the entry to the metro.  She smiles as she watches people walk by.  She has 
purposely
arrived earlier than Mulder, wanting and needing the time to begin to sort 
through their
whirlwind last days together.  She is basically happy; no, strike that, she 
is very happy.
She is also unsure of how all the pieces of her life as she knows it fit 
together.  She loves
her job, she loves her job as Mulder’s partner, she loves Mulder—wait!  
Where did that
come from?  Just the next link in the logic chain, Scully?  Her job as 
Mulder’s partner
and her love for Mulder as her life partner can’t work.  One or the other?  
Both?  Is it
possible that she could have finally found true happiness?  They work well 
together, they
play well together.  The “play” part brings a huge smile to her face, 
causing those
walking by her to smile back.
Mulder has been standing slightly off to one side for a few minutes, 
enjoying the view.
He quietly moves up next to her, hops up onto the wall and puts his arm 
around her
shoulder.  “Whatta ‘ya thinkin’, Scully?  Can I join in; sure looks like 
you’re having
fun…”
“Mulder!” Scully nearly jumps out of her skin.  She’s so into her daydream 
and so deep
in thought that she doesn’t hear him approach.  Damn! He catches her that 
way often.
“Let’s go, Mulder.  I need to get downtown to the cleaners.”  “Scully, you 
sure know how
pick the fun things for us to do.”  Scully tosses her two suits over 
Mulder’s shoulder and
runs down the stairs to the metro station.
At this time on a weekday, the metro is rather empty.  They find two seats 
facing each
other.  Mulder puts his feet up on the seat next to Scully and across from 
him.  He puts
Scully’s clothing next to him. She’s looking out the window as they pull out 
of the
station.  He’s looking at her.  “What WERE you thinking back there, Scully?”
She surprises him by answering directly, “I was thinking about us, about the 
last few
days, about how much I enjoyed myself with you, about us...”  He is 
speechless.  Scully
has forsaken her, “nothing, Mulder”, for candor.  It’s not that he feels she 
tries to decieve,
only that she is usually not one to talk emotion and feelings with him when 
it concerns
the two of them.  She seems to prefer hedging or putting off.
“So?”  “So, Mulder, I can’t figure it out.”  “Figure what out, Scully?”  
“Figure out how it
can possibly work”, she replies.  “You’ve lost me, Scully.”
Now it’s her turn to be speechless.  Is he lost because he doesn’t think 
there is an “us”?
Or, is he lost because he doesn’t think there’s any conflict between 
professional and
personal partners?  Scully jumps in… “Mulder, how have I lost you?”  She is 
taking a
huge leap here.  She steels herself for the one response she’s afraid to 
hear.
“Well, Scully, I guess first of all, we need to talk about what you mean by 
‘us’.”
“Mulder? You don’t think…”  Scully is cut off as the train pulls into the 
station.  This is
their stop.  Mulder looks at her expectantly.  She doesn’t finish.  She 
grabs her clothing,
turns toward the exit and walks off the train.
Mulder follows thinking that she’s storming now and she’s upset.  Somehow, 
he thinks
he’s asking good, sensitive, clarifying questions.  How is it that when he 
thinks “a”, she’s
thinking “b”, he wonders.  He guesses that’s part of the reason he is so 
head over heels
for her.  He just wants to be sure they both feel the same way.  He also 
needs to catch up
with her.  At the rate she’s moving, she’ll have the clothes back from the 
cleaners before
he even gets there!
*****************************************************************
Just outside the DC limits, 10:30A
He catches her on the stairs to the street.  “Scully, where’s the fire?”  “I 
just need to get
there before they close, Mulder”, she says rather stiffly.  Mulder follows 
silently.  HE
knows she has the whole day, but telling her so will only escalate the 
situation.  They
walk into the shop.  The shopkeeper greets her by name and smiles at her.  
“Friday ok,
Dana?”  “Sure Andrea.”  She tucks the slip into her back pocket and turns to 
leave.
Mulder smiles at Andrea and follows Scully. When it appears that she is not 
going to talk
to him as she speedwalks past the shops, he stops where he is.  Hands on 
hips, weight
shifted to one hip, he stands.  Scully passes the bank, the gift shop and is 
in front of the
Café when she realizes Mulder isn’t right behind her.  She stops.  She’s 
fuming, but
mostly at herself.  She is not good at the talking about feelings game.  The 
first time he
questions her, she collapses.  She turns around and looks at him standing 
several
storefronts back.  His eyebrow is raised over the frame of his sunglasses.  
He has a slight
smirk on his face.  He is the picture of everything she wants.  His jeans 
fit snugly where it
counts and his brown sweater underneath his brown barn jacket give him that 
devil may
care look.  His hair has fallen into his eye on one side and the sun is 
shining off of it.
Scully drops her arms by her sides and slowly walks toward him.  She’s 
starting to smile
and he’s smiling right back.  He doesn’t move, however.  When she reaches 
him, she
stops directly in front of him.  Her sunglasses are on.  She looks up at 
him, but doesn’t
say anything at first.  He is perfectly content to stand there and wait.  
The ball is in her
court, so to speak…
She looks down momentarily, then gazes back up at him.  He still says 
nothing.  He does
notice the sun in her hair and wishes he could see her eyes behind her 
shades. “Ok, I give,
Mulder!” Still, he is silent.  “Are you going to make me do this on the 
street in broad
daylight with lots of people around us? Mulder?”  Silence.  He is enjoying 
this scene.
She is obvioulsy trying to pull it together and is unsure how to proceed.  
He is slightly
afraid to help her out because there is a high probability that he will say 
the wrong thing
again. He believes he is choosing the path of least resistance.  He waits 
for her.
He is surprised when she acts.  She does not offer any explanations.  She 
doesn’t laugh,
she doesn’t yell.  She grabs onto his shoulders and kisses his lips, on the 
street in broad
daylight with lots of people around them… It is not the “public display of 
affection”
quick peck he is expecting.  Between the warmth of the sun on his back and 
the heat of
her lips on his, he is singed.   She then turns around and heads for the 
metro station.
Mulder touches his lips with the back of his hand and then smiles and shakes 
his head.
“Keeps me guessing, oh yeah.”  He follows her.
“Scully, wait up!  You’re heading into the wrong station.”  He now has to 
run just to
make sure she doesn’t get on the wrong train.  Too late; he manages to duck 
inside the
door as the train is pulling out of the station.  They are headed out of 
town.
*****************************************************************
Monday, 11AM, Taking a Ride
“Scully, where are we going now?”  “Just enjoy the ride, Mulder.”
“Does that mean you don’t know either, Scully?”
She smiles enigmatically and looks out the window.  The car is nearly empty. 
  They are
passing through a dark, underground, section of track.  Mulder moves over to 
Scully’s
seat.  He sits with his hands on his legs, looking at her looking out the 
window at
darkness.  As the car rounds a sharp corner, he leans into her.  He puts his 
arm around her
shoulder.
The car comes out of the dark and flies through the station; no one is 
waiting to get on or
off.
“Are we headed anywhere in particular, Scully?  Not that I mind a good 
adventure, but
I’m getting hungry.”
“I’ll check, Mulder.”  She stands up and starts walking to the back of the 
car.  They re-
enter another dark section.  “Scully?”  Mulder does not get an answer.  He 
stands, trying
to see where he’s going in the occasional, dim, lighting.  He finds her 
standing in the next
car, trying to check out the metro line map on the side wall overhead.  She 
is hanging on
to the silver, U-shaped hand hold suspended from the ceiling.
He moves up to the hand-hold directly behind her.  He is trying to squint at 
the metro
map.  “Scully, can you actually see that?”  The train jerks over a bumpy 
section of track
and sways side to side.  Scully is tossed back up against Mulder.  He 
steadies her with an
arm around her waist from behind.  The ride smoothes out, but he does not 
remove his
hand.  She tries to take a slight step forward; he holds her in place.  He 
leans in toward
her right ear and whispers, “Shall we have a seat or are you going to 
continue to pretend
to read that map?”  She removes his hand from her waist, takes it in hers 
and leads him to
a seat.

The train pulls into the Pentagon City Station.  A few people dressed in 
suits board and
move into another car.  Scully gets up and walks to the doors.  Mulder 
follows her; totally
puzzled.  He decides that while he is enjoying spending lots of time with 
her, he needs to
know what is going on in her mind and he needs to know it now.
Before she can get to the stairs leading to street level, he taps her on the 
shoulder.  She
stops and turns around.
“Scully, will you please stop and tell me what’s going on?  I mean, I’m glad 
to be here
with you, but I don’t know where ‘here’ is. Come over here and sit down for 
just a
minute, please.”
Scully follows Mulder over to the red and white ceramic tile wall bench and 
slides over
next to him.  She pulls her legs up under her and turns slightly to look at 
him.  She smiles
at him.
“Ok, Scully, talk to me.”
“Mulder, I’m just trying to be a little adventurous, less planned, more 
spontaneous.”
“You’ve succeeded.  What else is behind this little jaunt?”
“I guess I’m just trying to find a time and place to continue our talk.  I 
can’t seem to find
that time and place.”
“Why don’t you just ask for my help, then?  I am part of the talk, right?”
“Ok, Mulder, you name it; when and where?”
“Let’s go upstairs.”  They exit at West Hayes Street.  Mulder heads for the 
Ritz Carleton
Hotel Lobby.  He walks with purpose, as if he’s been here before.  He heads 
for a small
area of tapestry, cloth-covered tables and high back, velvet, lounge chairs 
off to one side
of the lobby.  He pulls a chair away from the table for Scully and then sits 
down himself
opposite her.  A server places a basket of warm breadsticks and a pot of tea 
on the table.
“Mulder?” Scully looks at him questioningly.  He just shrugs and says, “it’s 
just what
they do here, Scully, honest.”
.
“Well, I must admit this is rather nice, Mulder.  Middle of the weekday, no 
crowds, no
big decisions to make, good food, good____”
He puts down a cup of hot tea which he pours for her.  “Scully!”
She stops.  He realizes she must be nervous.  “Scully, let’s try to pick up 
our conversation
from last night again.  We were talking about us and what that means.”
Brrrng   brrrng  Scully’s cellphone rings.  As she reaches for it, Mulder 
sighs and sits
back in his chair and hangs his head down in an exaggerated fashion.
“Scully”, she says into the phone.  “Yes, sir.  Yes, he’s right here.  
Respectfully, sir, it
doesn’t matter where.  Yes, I will convey the message.”  She flips the phone 
closed and
places it back in her pocket.
“Skinner?” Mulder asks.  Scully replies, “He wants to see both of us first 
thing tomorrow
morning.  He has a case for us; possibly an X-File.”
“So, my vacation is over before it’s started, huh?” Mulder asks.

“I guess, so, Mulder.  You could always tell him you’re unavailable, that 
you have other
plans out of town.  He wouldn’t know.  I can handle whatever it is on my own 
or with
another agent.”
Mulder sits back up when he thinks about Scully working with another agent.  
“No, that’s
fine, I’ll be there with you Scully.”
They both sit back and drink their tea, trying to regain the earlier mood.
Mulder has an idea to prolong their day.  Ever the man of mystery, he smiles 
at Scully.
“Do you think we can spend just a little more time here, Scully?”
She leans forward, elbows on the table, chin on her hands.  She playfully 
scrutinizes him.
“Just what is going on in that lovely, mysterious head of yours, Mulder. Out 
with it.”
“You trust me, right, Scully?”
“Mulder”, she says warningly.  Her smile remains.
Mulder puts some cash on the table.  He stands and holds his hand out to 
Scully.  She
takes it and looks questioningly at him.
“What now, oh partner of mine?” she asks.

“Scully, you didn’t say if you trust me, but that’s ok; I know you do.  No 
more questions,
just follow me.”  He leads her away from the tea room and through the lobby. 
  The lobby
is ornate in a turn-of-the-century way.  Deep burgundies, warm golds, hunter 
greens
interspersed with white flowers.  Velvet seating, golden chandeliers, 
brocade wallpaper.
Mulder doesn’t seem to notice, but Scully feels just a bit out of place.
He leads her through the lobby, still holding her hand, but they are now 
walking side by
side.  They pass the brass doors of the elevator banks leading to the guest 
rooms.  People
are passing them in both directions; some moving with a purpose, others 
strolling
leisurely.
As they pass underneath an overhead walkway, Scully hears the piano.  With 
an ear for
classical music, she picks out a Chopin piano sonata.  She doesn’t realize 
she’s slowed
down until she turns to see Mulder stopped, staring at her.  “Mulder, isn’t 
it beautiful?”
“Yes, you are…  C’mon, Scully, I need to show you something.”  The romance 
of
classical music is lost on Mulder, but only the music.
As they near what appears to be the back door to the main level lobby, 
Mulder stops.  It is
much darker here and Scully almost runs into him.  He then leads her 
carefully to a door
she never would have found if he had not shown her.  “Mulder, just where are 
we going?
Should we be back here?  This looks like private____”

“She’s doing it again” Mulder thinks.  He gently grabs her shoulders, turns 
her to face
him and kisses her.  “Do you know you’re even more beautiful when you’re 
trying to
figure me out, Scully?  Now, let’s go!”
“Mulder, I—“  She realizes it’s no use.  He is one of the most determined 
people she
knows; especially when he has a plan.  That is one of the very things that 
both endears
him to her and frustrates her.  Endearing always wins…
He opens the door to a semi-dark stairwell heading down out of the lobby.  
While it is
dark, there is clearly enough lighting to see their way safely. Scully again 
hears piano
music, but it is not coming from the lobby.  The music is different, too; 
bluesy, “Stormy
Weather”.
Scully whispers, “Mulder, what IS this place?”  She is intrigued and 
surprised to find she
is also turned on.  Mulder’s grip on her hand tightens some; not an 
unpleasant sensation.
He decides that she has been a very good sport.  Actually, she’s always a 
good sport
where he’s concerned.  “Scully, a friend of mine owns this place. It’s an 
old, private club
open only to members and ‘special guests’.”
Scully is speechless.  “Scully?”  “Um, yeah, Mulder; this is wonderful.  
Just one
question; how many of these ‘friends’ do you have?  Do they all own out of 
the ordinary
places?  I mean, planetariums, private clubs; what else, Mulder?”
“No fair, Scully, you said ‘one question’.”
They walk through a warmly lit lounge area.  All the seating is plush, deep, 
couches that
look like they belong to a bygone era.  The carpet nap is thick and rich.  
The only lighting
consists of glass covered table candles and what look like gas powered wall 
sconces.
The lighting is warm, but Scully feels a chill.  They have descended almost 
three levels
from what she can tell.  Mulder feels her shiver.  He moves behind her and 
enfolds her in
his arms.  She leans her head back against his chest.
“Why don’t we go sit down for awhile and listen to the music, Scully.”
The blues gives way to slow, New Orleans jazz, very sensual in its slow, 
plodding beat.
They walk over to one of the couches set off in a corner.  Mulder playfully 
pushes Scully
into the large, soft pillows lining the entire couch.  “Mulder!” she laughs. 
  They appear to
be alone in the back corner of this private club.
“Can I join you, Scully?”  Before he finishes his question, Mulder is on top 
of Scully.
With false effort, she tries to push him off of her.  "Mulder, I hadn't 
finished what I
wanted to say and this place is filled with people!"
"Is it, Scully?  I don’t see anyone but the piano player and he’s too far 
away to even
notice us."
"Mulder, I could have sworn there were more people when we came in." Scully 
is clearly
puzzled.
"It’s not worth thinking about.  Let’s just enjoy ourselves.  I know you had 
more you
wanted to say, but I want to say something, too.  I think it can wait, 
though.  What do you
think?"
"I think we've waited this long, we have a new case tomorrow.  It'll 
probably keep a few
days longer." Scully smiled.
"So, Scully, now that that's settled and you can see there aren't really 
that many people
here at all, what do you say we get a little cozier?"  Mulder smiles slyly.
"Just what did you have in mind, Mulder?"
“I had in mind”, he whispers, “no more questions, Scully.”  He is running 
his hands
through her hair until she thinks she’s on fire.  He loves the soft feel of 
her hair on his
hands.   As she gasps, he closes the gap and kisses her.  She forgets about 
the other
people no longer in the lounge.
They end up lying on their sides facing each other.  “Wish we had this kind 
of furniture
now” Mulder thinks.  She buries her head in his neck and gently bites him 
several times.
“Try explaining THAT to Skinner tomorrow morning, Mulder.” She whispers in 
his ear.
“Scully, you are a wicked woman.”  He runs his tongue over her lips, but as 
she tries to
kiss him, he pulls back.  She places a hand on each side of his face and 
runs her tongue
over his lips.  “You taste very good, Mulder.”
“Like I said, you are a wicked woman.”
“A wicked woman who knows where this is going to lead if we don’t head home 
right
now, Mulder.”
“We need to go home, why, Scully?”
“We can put ‘this’ and our discussion on-hold just a bit longer, can’t we, 
Mulder?  I
mean, no one’s ever died of failing to feel completely physically fulfilled. 
  I haven’t read
any studies or reports to that effect, Mulder.”
“I’m going to be the first study case, Scully.  I’m going to use your name 
when I apply for
the study, too.  I’ll detail all the ways you have brought me to the brink, 
only to let me go.
You’re weakening my immune system, doc!”
“C’mon, Scully”, he takes her hand and stands up, “We can talk as we head 
back.  Let’s
walk down Hayes Street.  We’ll pick the train up at another station.  I know 
you’re
anxious to get home now that we have to report in tomorrow morning.”
When they reach the main lobby, they both squint in the brighter lighting.  
Scully, still
holding Mulder's hand, stops.  She is visually imprinting this place in her 
memory along
with all of the places she and Mulder have visited the last several days.  
Truth be told,
while she is excited about the possibility of a new case, she will miss the 
time she has
enjoyed with her partner.
Mulder is also creating a visual recording and recapping his time off to 
regain his
perspective and judgment (good!).  He has discovered a new perspective where 
his
partner is concerned and has exercised extremely good judgment when it comes 
to
displaying gargantuan restraint when his body said otherwise. He wonders 
whether this
new case will give them any time alone together.  She wonders whether their 
recent
declarations and promises to continue will have any effect on their ability 
to work as
partners.
They head out onto Hayes Street and walk on down past Pentagon City Station. 
  The way
they are feeling right now, they could walk all the way home.
****************************************************************
************************************************************************