Return
By Shoshana

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Sunday night, 9 p.m., July 11, 1999, Scully's apartment
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"What's this Mulder?" Scully asked, unpacking her suitcase from
their weekend in Las Vegas. Mulder reclined across the comforter on
his stomach, one arm propping his head to the side, watching her as
she returned her possessions to their customary dwelling places.
They'd just arrived home an hour ago, tired, and a little disoriented.

Their mutually confused state of mind was a result of their trip out
of town, accompanied by the Lone Gunmen and twelve laptop computers.
They had gone to a hackers convention and come back a happy couple.
No, not a 'married' happy couple; they hadn't gotten that plastered
Saturday night, and they had yet to fully consummate their
relationship, as newlyweds were wont to do.

They hadn't really made it much past second base, both recalling
their adolescent experiences in vivid detail, realizing how slowly
things were progressing. Which was fine for now, they were enjoying
themselves too much to worry about that. However, it did pose a
problem when they had to decide where to spend the evening and
possibly the whole night together.

It was an easy decision the last two nights. No one had slept much
either night; the Lone Gunmen were up all night with 'guests,'
hacking and playing video games. Scully had her own room, and quite
naturally they slept on the bed together, exhausted from the day's
activities. That didn't preclude any preliminary action there,
passionate kisses, exploratory touches, pleasurable embraces...while
fully clothed, of course. Neither of them cared to get naked and do
it, not with an audience just beyond their thin hotel wall.
Definitely something to look forward to, once they got home.

And now they were home. And both Mulder and Scully felt stupefied,
neither wanting to seem like the aggressor in this liaison, not
because they questioned their commitment to one another, but just
because. After so many years, they'd managed to merge friendship and
romance, and they both wanted their affair to inch slowly toward the
inevitable...making love in their own homes, in their own beds.

So, they were at her apartment, the logical choice, since he already
had an extra suit, dress shirt, etc. hanging in her closet, leftover
from his stay with her in January. It was already getting late, and
it went without saying that they were going to spend the night
together, chastely clothed or not. That bridge could be crossed when
they came to it, and neither was finding the journey too perilous,
just a bit clumsy for two mature adults in their thirties.

It had been a long time since either of them had been physically
intimate with a lover, and they both sensed that they were welcome to
take as much space and time as necessary, till they consummated their
romance. It felt great fooling around all weekend, and Mulder had
almost wished they'd gone a little farther than they had. But he was
leaving the timetable up to Scully now, appreciative that this was
the luckiest he'd been in years, emotionally or sexually.

He treasured the feeling of being in love, not a new sensation, not
one he'd never experienced with women before. But he'd never been in
love like this before; he'd never waited so long to get the girl,
overcome so many obstacles that stood in his way. If Scully wanted
time, she'd get every second she needed. He almost felt guilty
fantasizing about them now, knowing that reality was going to be so
much better, so much nicer than any of his past or present daydreams.

Almost felt guilty...at the moment, he was having a hard time
repressing his thoughts...now that Scully had found the videotape
he'd thrown into the bottom of her carryon bag.

"What's this Mulder?" she repeated, absorbing his bleary eyes, his
enigmatic smile, wondering why he had packed one of Frohicke's dirty
videos in her luggage.

"I's...Whyde...Shuht." he mumbled, purposely slurring his
pronunciation of three simple English language words.

"Huh?" She didn't have the fogginess what he'd just said. It
sounded like 'I why shot,' it was so unintelligible. "O.K., joke is
over Mulder. What is this, a porno video to enhance our love life?"

"Kinda."

"Mulder, this is just plain juvenile. Did you get this from
Frohicke?"

"Yes, I did. But it's not what you think. It's a film masterpiece.
Or some say it is. I wanted to see it and Frohicke had contacts at
the convention. Yes, it's bootleg and illegal. We can burn it in
the bathtub after we watch it. But, I'd like to watch it once, at
least. It cost fifty bucks..."

"What porno video could be worth fifty bucks to you?"

"It's not porno, Scully. It's Kubrick's last movie, 'Eyes Wide
Shut.' Like I said, Frohicke knows a guy who knows a guy. So he got
me a copy."

"Oh," was all she could say.

"You don't have to watch it if you don't want to. I thought you
might though. You have his other films."

"I don't think his other films are quite this racy, Mulder." She
sat down on the bed next to him and started playing with his hair,
pushing it back off his forehead. "I'd love to watch it with you. I
read some good things about it in the paper today. I just wish you
wouldn't buy illegal copies. We could have just gone to the theatre
next week..."

"Believe it or not, Scully, I think I'd be too embarrassed to sit
through this film in a public place with you. Why do you think I
have such a collection of videos at home? I'd rather stay at home
than have to display my um, feelings, in public. Especially if my
best girl is with me..."

He glanced up at her with that 'break my heart into little pieces'
look of his and she smiled sweetly at him. "Actually, I agree with
you wholeheartedly. I've never been too comfortable watching some
movies with dates. Even some R-rated ones are pretty, well intense.
I would never have pegged you for such a shy guy, Mulder. Guess I
don't know you as well as I thought, huh?"

"Scully, it took me years to try and kiss you, almost another year
to actually kiss you, and you didn't peg me as shy? Thank goodness
you're in forensic pathology and not profiling..."

Scully playfully shook his shoulders, pretending she was annoyed,
then swooped down and caught his lips in hers, to which he responded
enthusiastically. They broke off their kiss reluctantly, all too
aware that tomorrow was a work day, and they hadn't even cleaned up
from the long journey home.

"Why don't you take a shower and get comfortable, Mulder? I have a
few things I want to do before we turn in."

He gathered up a clean t-shirt and boxer shorts, hopeful that they'd
be suitable attire for sleeping in Scully's bed. He was pretty sure
that's what she meant by 'get comfortable,' so he cheerfully took his
shower, anxious to retire. When he got out of the bathroom, the
covers were turned down, on *both* sides, and he laid down and pulled
the single topsheet over him. He had brought in a journal to read,
so he put on his glasses and turned on the small light above his side
of the bed. Just like an old married couple, he thought. Goddamn,
I'm a lucky son-of-a-bitch.

Scully came back to take her shower a few minutes before ten,
modestly undressing in the bathroom, then emerging in short cotton
pajamas that Mulder found captivating. Her bare arms and legs were
more erotic than any centerfold, her still wet hair exotic to him,
framing her face, accentuating her large blue eyes. He openly stared
at her, and she grinned back, delighting in his attentions.

She settled onto her side of the bed, sliding under the sheet, right
next to Mulder. She smiled over at him and said, "Put your journal
away. I have a surprise for you."

Not being a fool, Mulder dropped his reading material over the side
of the bed, observing her patiently, wondering what she had up her
sleeve. He rather doubted that they were up to making love now,
physically or mentally. And he wasn't receiving any 'let's tear our
clothes off and do it' vibes from her demeanor, so he waited quietly,
gazing over at her freckly, makeup free face.

She reached over and shut his reading light, then extracted
something from underneath the pillow. With a soft click she
activated the tv/vcr unit next to the bed, setting the volume very
low. She snuggled closer to him, turning slightly so that her body
leaned toward the bluish light. He wrapped his arms around her
tightly, anxious to see what her choice of bedtime entertainment
might be...although he had a hunch...

fin

Chronological order of the series:
Restoration
Renewal
Rivalry
Recreation
Return

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