From: Ary GH Date: 17 Jun 99 22:15:03 CDT Subject: Ruby (5-8/8) TITLE: RUBY (5/8) AUTHOR: Ary GH E-MAIL: foxdvd@nestcape.net RATING: NC-17 CATEGORY: SRA For spoilers, keywords, summary, disclaimers and author's notes, please check Part 1 WARNING: Violence, graphic verbal and physical abuse, plenty of foul language. We're dealing with a seriously disturbed psychopath in this section. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* ALLEYS BEHIND THE STARDUST AUGUST 10 11:15 P.M. I know I shouldn't have claimed it was self-defence. According to the regulations, I should have waited at least 30 seconds before shooting, and I had to give the suspect a warning shot. Fuck the regulations. It wasn't self-defence, either. But he was hurting Dana Scully. In my books, that's a federal offence. One punishable by death. In other words, I shot the bastard without warning. But I did everyone involved a favour and claimed it was self-defence. There are only two people to say it wasn't so, and one of them is dead. Scully is so grateful that it is over that she doesn't give a damn about my statement. For all she cares, I gave the guy the whole Miranda before I even pulled out my gun. It's all right by me. Really. Except it isn't over. It really is far from over. I'm driving her home once this whole business of statements is finished. And then we're going to have the nice little chat we should have had by now. And Dana Katherine Scully is going to have to answer to me this time around. She'd better not try to run away, cause I'm not going to let her go. No this time. Not ever. Never again. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* I stumbled out of the Stardust, my gun in my hand, my heart beating wildly. I looked right and left, trying to ascertain which way could the killer have gone. I was scared shitless. This guy wasn't merciful. On the contrary, he was quite vicious. And fast. I figured I had half and hour, forty-five minutes tops, to find Scully and nail the bastard. I didn't want to think of what would happen if I was late. Following instinct rather than logic, I chose to go to the left, keeping my back to the wall. I kept glancing over my shoulder hoping to see any other agents. I kicked myself mentally for not bringing my cell phone, but I didn't expect I would need it. Gross. I needed to get a grip if I wanted to help Scully. Ha. I couldn't even get a grip on the tug-o-war that was going inside my head. Pathetic. Really pathetic. The layout behind the Stardust reminded me of a labyrinth. The back street gave way to 10, maybe 15, alleys both left and right. I noticed that some of them led into another alley. My mind was racing. There was no way I was going to be able to search the whole damn place in less than half an hour. The only thing that gave me hope was his MO. He had always killed his victim in a ratio of, approximately, three blocks from where he had taken them. Therefore, he had to be around here, somewhere. He HAD to. A flash of red caught my eye at the entrance of another alley to my left. It was a piece of clothing. I recognised it almost immediately. In my hands I was holding the front pocket of Scully's robe. Glancing back one last time I went into the alley. No backup for me this time. Perhaps it would be for the best. If I was late I didn't want witnesses. If I had failed Scully for the last time, I'd shoot the bastard and then I'd shoot myself. Funny how this last voices reminded me of my dad ... Who cares? As much as I seemed to enjoy my guilt-trips, I could never live with this specific one. I could never go on living without her, period. When I joined the FBI I thought nothing would hurt me more than loosing my sister. Now I know I was wrong. As much as Sam's disappearance created a havoc in my life, nothing was more devastating than loosing Scully. Not once, but twice. Duane Barry and cancer. And now a third time. There was only a certain amount of grief and heartache a man could bear. I've met my quota for this and two other lifetimes. I don't think I could resist another blow. And yet ... I'll have to. Scully doesn't want to talk to me. She doesn't love me. And I'll have to learn to live with that. That is, if I get to live at all after this. I hear a voice coming from the second alley and my body tenses. I also hear noises and a muffled groan. I'd recognise that sound anywhere. It's a sound that breaks my heart over and over again. I had found Scully. And she was alive. Carefully approaching the entrance of this second alley, I begin making out the words I'm hearing. "Sarah, Sarah, what am I going to do with you? You keep running away every time I find you, and every time I find you again. Won't you ever learn? Can't you understand? There's nowhere to go. You're mine" The voice is strained, yet calm. It reminds me of an adult scolding a little child that's misbehaved badly. I peer into the alley. A couple of boxes at the entrance give me some nice coverage, without blocking my view entirely. And abandoned car is lying some ten feet from me. Huddled against it is Scully. She's gagged and handcuffed and her right eye is rapidly swelling. I feel anger boiling up inside me. The bastard hit her, harmed her. And then he comes into view. Although he's a couple of inches shorter than me, he seems to tower over her. I'm about to open my mouth to give my FBI speech when I notice the switchblade in his left hand. He's too close to Scully. He might try to attack her. Make that a will. He will attack her if he feels he's treathened. And he could very well fatally wound her before I put a bullet or two trough him. I couldn't risk it. "Oh, Sarah. Why do you do this? Isn't my love for you enough? Why do you keep running away from me?", his voice is now wounded, hurt. He's stroking Scully's hair ever so gently, a loving gesture. But then he turns violent. He grabs her shoulder and smashes her against the car. Scully winces and I cringe inside. He's too close to her, I can't risk taking a shot at him now ... "Slut! Whore! Two-face lying bitch! I gave you everything I had and then some more, and what do I get back for it? Nothing! Absofuckinglutely nothing! And why? Because I married a whore! A slut who's got pussy for brains!" He was getting mad now. I could see him digging his fingers into Scully's shoulders and screaming right at her face. I could try and shoot him on the forehead, but my present angle is all wrong. To get a clean shot I'll need to get out from behind these boxes, making my presence known to him. But the way he was holding the hunting knife made me hesitate. It was too close to her neck. Even if it was the perfect shot he could slash her while dropping dead. On the other hand, he was so worked up by now that he was going to attack her very soon. I had to make up my mind. Fast. "How could you? Why do you do it? Why do you have to leave our house and our children every chance you get to go looking for a man? Why do you need to do it?" He was close to crying now. As weird as it may sound, I felt sorry for him. Whomever this Sarah was, or had been, she had messed him up real bad. Bad enough to turn him into a raving psycho. I wonder what had happened to the kids. I shuddered. Maybe I didn't want to know, after all. " I tried to be a good husband. But no, that wasn't enough for you. You can't live without fucking, can you? You need to have some guy's dick crammed up inside you to be happy, don't you? What do you do to the guys you pick up, huh? Jerk them off? Suck them until they come? Fuck their brains out? Huh, huh? Do they eat your pussy? Do you let them fuck you like an animal? Is that what you want? Is that what you need? Huh? Answer me godammit! Tell me why you need to be such a slut!" He turned around, dragging Scully with him. He slammed her against the wall on the other side. I couldn't see them now. The time had come for me to make my move. I slowly began making my way along the boxes until I reached the corner. I froze when I saw he had the blade's point under her chin. "And what was tonight about? You like strutting in front of those guys like a bitch in heat, don't you? And you were ready to go out, undressed as you are, into the street. You were hoping one of them would grab you, right? You were hoping one of them would rape you, right? That's one of your sick fantasies, isn't it? You're a pervert!" He jammed his hand between Scully's thighs. I almost pulled the trigger then. "See? See? You're all wet, you fucking whore! It was that guy, right? The one standing outside the door, wasn't it? Just don't stare at me, you stupid bitch, answer me!" He slid the blade up and sliced Scully's gag. For the first time, I looked at her face. Her eyes were wide with fear, her chin was trembling, her breath was ragged and her cheeks were tinted with a slight blush. My heart ached for her. "You're wet for him, aren't you?" Scully stared at him in silence and the guy shake her up slightly, " Don't mess with me, and answer the question. You're wet for him, aren't you?" Scully swallowed hard, "Yes" "You want him bad, don't you?" "Yes" " What were you going to let him do to you?" "I-I don't k-know ..." "Like hell you don't, you cunning bitch! You were going to let him take you on top of the dressing table, then fuck you from behind while you grabbed unto the chair, weren't you?" Scully's voice was flat, defeated ... "Yes" The man fell silent for a minute, staring a t Scully. When he spoke again his voice was so calm and detached that I knew he had reached his breaking point. "That's too bad, Sarah, because you'll never fuck anyone else again" "Federal Agent, drop your weapon!" Startled, he spun around. Scully fell to the floor, trying to get out of his reach. And I pulled the trigger. Twice. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* I sit in my car while I wait for the EMT's to finish checking up on Scully. I try to convince myself that what I had done back in the alley was justifiable, that it was part of the job. After all, I was a trained federal agent, with a permit to carry, and use, a gun. And it wasn't like I've never shoot anyone before. I have, plenty of times. I even have killed people. But I had never murdered someone. Until today. Today I murdered James O'Rourke in cold blood. He was responsible for 14 deaths. True. He was a heartless murderer. True. He was about to murder again, this time my partner and fellow FBI agent. True. Some would say I did what I had to do and good riddance. True. All that is just fine and right. What ain't fine and right is that I was actually glad that I shot the bastard. It also ain't fine and right that I have no remorse, whatsoever. James O'Rourke will never be a part of my nightmares ... there's no guilt attached to his name. Or any other emotion, for that matter. The names in my nightmares have different faces ... Duane Barry, Donnie Pfaster, Robert Modell, Linda Bowman, Eugene Tooms, Ed Jersey, Eddie Van Blundht. Different monsters, different demons, different madness. The only thing they'll ever have in common is that they tried to hurt Scully in one way or another. And sometimes I couldn't do anything about it. No tonight. That's why James O'Rourke won't plague my dreams. He's a monster, but not my personal monster. If I had to choose one demon to portray this specific nightmare, it would be me. And that thought is enough to make me shudder. I have become the monster. I have become the demon. I'll plague my own nightmares for years on end. And perhaps I'll even do some special appearances in Scully's bad dreams. Shit. Scully. I've been so wrapped up in my own self-pity that I forgot to check on her. I look up. She's still sitting next to the ambulance, but the EMT is gone. She's now talking with Stan Carlbadier. She must have sensed my gaze on her, cause she looks at me. Correction. She looks *through* me. And it gives me the creeps. I could have sworn there was nothing behind her eyes. I could feel a certain coldness in her look, as if her soul were made of stone. But... it couldn't happen, could it? I mean, this is Scully we're talking about here, isn't it? She'll never turn cold on me, would she? Well? Would she? And then it hits me. She's perfectly capable of leaving me outside in a frozen hell. So capable in fact, that I got this distinct rotten feeling in my gut that that is exactly what she plans to do. Funny. I've always thought that our partnership, our friendship, was beyond everything now. After all we've been through, I thought we've reach our own level of invincibility. Guess I was wrong. There was a limit, after all. One look at our innerselves, at our true feelings, at our weaknesses, and five years of our lives blow up into pieces. I was right. This time, I had been the monster. I've achieved what not even They have been able to do. They had been able to separate us, but they've never broken us apart. Which is exactly what I have done. It's over. Whatever it was between us, it is there not more. Scully is gone, and she's not coming back. And this time I did it myself. I don't think I'll be able to live with that. I really don't think I'll be able to keep on living, at all. But I'm not worried. Not anymore. You see, I have this backup plan. After dropping Scully at her place, I plan to drive straight to mine and write a few letters. And then I plan to have a nice little chat with a 9mm friend of mine whose name is Smith & Wesson. A chat long overdue. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* END RUBY (5/8) ------NetAddressPart-00--=_RDPD5552S904bbadf04 Content-Type: text/plain; name="Ruby 6.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="Ruby 6.txt" TITLE: RUBY (6/8) AUTHOR: Ary GH E-MAIL: foxdvd@netscape.net RATING: NC-17 CATEGORY: MSR For spoilers, keywords, summary, disclaimers and author's notes, see Part 1 WARNING: Foul language a plenty. Mulder and Scully engage in some serious lashing, both verbal and physical. Shippers: do not fret. This will turn out for the best. Bear with me for two more chapters, ok? Non-shippers (if there are any reading this): enjoy while you can. Next chapter will be totally off-limits for your taste. Author's Notes: Yesterday I found Amanda Marshall's 1996 record while browsing for a soundtrack. I bought it out of impulse. And what an impulse it has been! The lyrics in her songs have been following me around like shadows... therefore, it won't be strange if two or three (dozen) of them show up in here somewhere. I beg the forgiveness of the author's for not giving them their due credit. I do not wish to infringe any laws, nor plagiarise any of them. It is a great record. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* OUTSIDE THE STARDUST NIGHT CLUB SOMEWHERE AROUND MIDNIGHT Life can be so intriguing sometimes... I'm here sitting, wondering if I should blow my brains out or not, and all I can think of is how my death will affect Scully... and she's the reason why I'm considering doing it in the first place... There was a time when the mere thought of causing her the minimum distress was enough to bring me back from the edge. But that time seems to be gone. Sorry, Ms. Scully, seems like you lost your magic touch. I don't mean to be sarcastic. It isn't easy to be kind when you have all this demons in your mind. I always thought I'd be able to keep them at bay. Except this time I was the demon. I realise I've been beaten at the hands of my own game. And it all comes down to this: I'm fed up with my destiny. Maybe it's time I take destiny into my own two hands. Maybe. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* I looked up to see Scully and Carlbadier walking towards me. I got out of the car, and without a word, opened the passenger's door for her. "Mulder." I turned around and noticed that Carlbadier was waiting for me on the sidewalk. I closed the door and walked towards him. "Are you all right?" "Sure." "I think she's going to be okay. At least physically." I shot him an uneasy glance. "What do you mean?" "I'm not sure. She seems... distant. I don't really know how to explain it. It's like she's lost her driving force, or something. She's not the same Scully I've worked with before." I just kept on looking at him without saying a word. "I might be wrong, though. Perhaps she's just tired. I don't know her that well to tell for sure. Maybe she'll tell you what's bothering her. You're her partner, after all..." Stan looks both embarrassed and worried at the same time. I decided to give the poor guy a break. "Yeah. Maybe. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her" I could tell Carlbadier was relived. "I'd better go, then. I'll give Skinner a copy of the report. Now go home and rest, you both need that" And with that, Stan Carlbadier is gone. Feeling uneasy, I walked back to the car. Scully was just sitting there, staring straight ahead. She didn't seem to acknowledge my presence when I got into the car. Throwing one last look her way, I started the car. Scully and I had had our share of silences before. Some were good and some were definitively bad. But none as uncomfortable as this one. This one was oppressive. It was void of emotion or feelings. As if one of us wasn't in the car at all. The silence got so bad, that I did something I couldn't remember doing before when we were together. I turned on the radio. I carefully glanced at Scully. I don't think she even noticed the music coming out from the speakers. It was that bad. I kept on driving, drumming my fingers against the steering wheel to keep me focused on the road ahead. I wasn't paying much attention to the music, either. Slowly, I began to make out part of the lyrics. I remember thinking what kind of person could write something so depressing... " Some fool is raging overhead and he's preaching the godspel according to Johnnie Walker Red... " " Did I just miss the last exit to Eden? Is this the only love I'll know? Like a Judas kiss, did my heart betrayed me?..." Mercifully, we had arrived to Scully's apartment. She opened the door and got out, slamming it. She began walking to her place without looking back. I sighed. So this was the way things were going to end. Fine by me. Now I could go and drink myself to madness without worrying about her. " There are some sins that you can justify, but not the one I'm guilty of... I had a choice one last chance ago, but I turned my back on love..." I turned the car around and headed for my place. Out of reflex, I stretched my hand to turn the radio off. I froze when I heard the last part of the song... " We both might need a saviour, tonight I fear that mine is the one I left waiting far behind..." I sighed again. I just couldn't put myself out of this misery without talking to her for one last time. I had been a fool thinking I could get away just like that. Destiny had decided to get his hands back on my life. Funny how it choose to do it. With a song. If I weren't a believer by nature, I'd say it was a coincidence and nothing more. The paranoid inside me was beginning to think it was a plot against our self-destructing instincts... Before I could change my mind, my heart had parked us in front of Scully's building. I searched for her apartment's spare key, as I had the feeling she wasn't going to be all that happy to see me. Heck, how I hate to be right sometimes! */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* I hadn't expected Scully to open the door. After all, I had only been banging on it for only five minutes... "Get the Hell out of here, Mulder." What did I tell you? She's leaping with joy at my sight. "Happy to see me Scully?" "I told you to get the fuck out of here." Scully was swearing. It came almost as a surprise. Being a Navy brat I was sure she knew her French up to the nines, but I had seldom, if ever, heard her use that kind of words. I guess this meant she was royally pissed off... "I don't want to." "What?!" "You heard me, Scully. I don't want to go." "Fine. Whatever. I'll just call the police and let them know you're trespassing without a warrant. Let's see how you explain that to Skinner." That did it. I followed into the kitchen after slamming the front door and ripped the goddamn phone of the wall. "Do I have your attention now?" For a second, Scully seemed at a lost for words. But she recovered. Quite nicely, I might add. "Oh, and now you get your kicks out of harassing me. What's next? Are you going to spank me?" "Don't give me any ideas, Scully..." "I don't think you should need any, Mr. Mulder. You seem to have your kinky number well rehearsed by now..." I was really angry by that time. "What the hell was *that* supposed to mean?" Scully crossed her arms on her chest and gave me her iciest stare. "Figure it out yourself, Mr. Oxford graduate" "Don't mess with me, Scully. You might regret it later." "Is that so?" "Yes" "Why?" Scully's last question had thrown me out of balance. I didn't know what to answer to that without betraying my suicidal intentions... But damn if I was going to let her win this argument. She seemed to need a little shock, anyway. "Because, ex-partner, I've had it with my life and your "Ice Queen" routine and I plan to go home after setting this record straight and blow my fucking brains out. That's why" Scully's voice sounded amused. "And I'm supposed to regret that?" That was the last straw. I lost control of my emotions and let them flow freely. I grabbed Scully and threw her into the couch, pinning her down with my body. "What does it take to crack your facade, Scully? What does it take to make you a human like the rest of us mere mortals? What do I need to do to get a response from you? What? What?" Scully's cool exterior was only betrayed by the nervous flick of her tongue on her lower lip. It proved to be enough. Five years of self-restraint went crashing out of the window. Without hesitating, I lowered my head and kissed her. Hard. This time I had a reaction from her. A very painful reaction. She bit my lip forcefully enough to draw blood. Her right fist connected with my jaw. And, to top it all, her knee hit me straight in the groin. I fell to the floor, groaning. Serves me right thinking I could get away with it. Serves me right for not thinking, period. "You bastard! How dare you?" How dare I, indeed. "So much for the damsel in distress routine..." I muttered to myself when I felt a stinging pain on my left cheek. Scully had slapped me and I never saw it coming. I looked up at her, rubbing my cheek "Why? I mean, wasn't kicking my ass enough?" "You were the one who started this "damsel in distress" cliché" Ouch. Not only had she kicked my ass, she was now trampling over my pride. "Mulder..." I avoided looking in her eyes. "Yes, Scully?" "Had enough?" I nod. "Good. Now get the fuck out of my house. Better yet. Get the fuck out of my life. Go blow your brains out if you feel like it. I don't care." She walked to the door and opened it wide. Then she crossed her arms across her chest and waited, impatiently, for me to get up and get out. I got up and walked towards her. Instead of walking through the door I pushed it close. Scully stared at me in disbelief. "And now that we're done with foreplay, I think it is time for us to talk..." And with that, I picked her up from the floor and headed back towards the couch. Perhaps, after we're done talking, and if I'm still alive, we'll go back to the foreplay part. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* Crash! I had ducked just in time to avoid being hit on the head by Scully's coffee mug. It had crashed on the wall behind me, splattering the lukewarm liquid in every conceivable direction. The shattered mug laid on the carpet, where the coffee stains were beginning to set in. I looked back at Scully. She had sank into the couch, her face hidden behind her hands. Her neck was stiff as a rod, not revealing what emotional distress, if any, was she suffering from... I wondered what, exactly, had triggered this unusual outburst in my partner. Perhaps it was the fact that I kicked her coffee table, throwing everything on top of it to the floor. It also could be the fact that I had ignored her request of my leaving for the sixth time that night. Then again, maybe it was my telling her that I had enough experience now as to ascertain, without the shadow of doubt, that she was, indeed, the "Ice Queen". Or maybe it was all of the above, put together. And there she was, sitting on the couch. Trembling. And I stood there, not knowing what to do, what to think. Was she trembling out of anger? Or was it sadness? Or maybe she was just trying to get a grip on her emotions, so seldomly displayed? "Scully?" I didn't exactly knew what to say, but I couldn't stand there doing nothing anymore. Her reply came from behind her hands. "Just go ... please" My heart broke and shattered. Her voice was so defeated, so sad, so ... final. I had never heard her use that tone of voice, not even when she was dying. "Scully?" "Go, Mulder. It's over. You and I. Everything. It's just...over" A searing pain went through my entire being. "How can it be over? Scully, we're more than partners, we're friends..." "Ha! Some kind of friend you turned out to be!" I felt like cracking my best Barry Manilow joke, but decided against it. I didn't think Scully would appreciate the humour just then. So, instead, I just raised a questioning eyebrow. She was standing now, pacing around, her hair flying wildly around her face. "How can you say you're my friend? I've never meant anything to you! I've always been the adorable little sidekick, always there in case you needed your ass covered! I've done everything for you! I've lied, I've risked my life, I've lost my sister, I've lost the chance to have a family of my own, I've lost my credibility as an agent and as a doctor. For what? For the privilege of working in the most underrated, laughed at, less respected area in the FBI? For working with you? And what have I got in return? Nothing! What have you done for me?" I opened my mouth to offer her some insights on that particular topic, but she kept on ranting, so I kept quiet. "Oh, sure. You've saved my life a couple of times. But it never was because you cared about me. It was an effort to keep your conscience clear and the skin on your butt unscarred. But you know what? You're the biggest self-centred, egotistical bastard I've ever met. I should have left you years ago! I should have listened to my family and friend's advice and dumped "Spooky"! But no. I had to prove how good an agent I was. I had to prove that I wasn't afraid of "Spooky" Mulder. I had to prove I could be better that the all-mighty Fox Mulder, golden boy of VCS and fabled profiler of mythological dimensions!" "You proved that our the first year together. Why didn't you leave then?" Scully looked at me, piercing me with the intensity of her blue eyes. Ice on top, fire simmering below. "Because I made the most stupid mistake of my life. I fell in love with you" This felt like a steel sheet being banged on my face. " You what???" "I told you it was the most stupid thing I could ever do. I fell in love with you. Ridiculous, right? And the most pathetic thing about it was that I couldn't do anything about it. You'd never even deign to look my way. Why should you? I'm not leggy, or busty or brunette. But I thought you respected me, liked me. After your little charade tonight, I know I was wrong. How could I be so stupid? How could I have thought you'll have any feelings whatsoever for me?" I stared at her, my mouth literally hanging open from shock. I had to deeply breath a couple of times before I was able to talk. "What charade are you talking about? I don't understand what..." "You don't, huh? Let me refresh your memory: you follow me around like a sick puppy all day yesterday, then show up at the club trying to place a high wager on me. And then, when I try to get you out of there, you dazzle me with your friendship speech, which I naively believed. I was stupid enough as to believe that you took one of the front seats to show me some moral support, but you really set me straight by leaving before my number was over. And... and..." Tears were rolling down her cheeks, like a silent accusation. "I'm sure you found my stripping disgusting. I can understand that. I must have looked like a sorry excuse of a woman out there, and I don't blame you for leaving when you did..." Scully had kept her eyes lowered so far. But now she looked at me, straight into my soul. "What I don't understand is why you had to go and lie to me" I was shocked. "Lie to you? Scully, I'd never lie to you" She raised her eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? Then, what was all that bullshit you were spitting out just outside the dressing room?" I felt anger boiling up inside me again. I really had to keep a tight rein over my temper now, for I was certain I would do something I'd really regret later. Turning my back to Scully, I crouched down and began picking up the pieces of the shattered mug. "So you have nothing to say, huh?" I just shrugged my shoulders. "Well, that's a good enough answer for me. Thanks a lot for showing me where I stand in the real world. My only regret is having trusted you all this years." She began walking toward her bedroom. "Close the door on your way out" I got up and, taking 3 big strides, stopped her by grabbing her shoulders. "Are you over with it?" "I believe everything between you and I is over now" "I mean, are you over with your tirade? Because, if you are, I believe it's my turn to make some things clear" "I really don't think ..." I interrupted her by placing my hand over her mouth. "You know, Scully, I believe that's the problem with you. You either think too much or don't think at all" "There's no need to add insult to injury." "I'm not planning to. Now, be a good girl and sit down and hear what I have to say..." "Stop patronising me!" "I'm not! Scully, please? Just listen, ok? I'll tell you my side of the story and if you don't like it, I'm out of here. Of your life. Forever. I promise. Just bear with me for a little longer, ok?" Her eyes were wide and earnest. "And then you'll go?" "If you want me to" She looked at me on more time before turning around and sitting on the couch. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Ok. You got five minutes. This better be good Mulder, or I'll do the brain blowing myself". I looked at her to see if she was joking, but her expression remained dead serious. I hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing the words that would decide my whole future. "You know, Scully, it's always struck me as funny how two people that can read each other's thoughts just by looking at each other could be so blind when trying to read each other's hearts." Scully looked at her watch, uninterested. "But now that I'm standing in the middle of disaster, I don't find it funny. Heck, it's not even amusing! I said I loved you and you didn't believe it. You said you loved me and I still don't believe it. What kind of jerks are we that we can't come to rationally acknowledge what our hearts have known for so long?" "Why is it so hard to accept that we're in love with each other?" */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* END RUBY (6/8) ------NetAddressPart-00--=_RDPD5552S904bbadf04 Content-Type: text/plain; name="Ruby 7.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="Ruby 7.txt" TITLE: RUBY (7/8) AUTHOR: Ary GH E-MAIL: foxdvd@netscape.net RATING: NC-17 CATEGORY: MSR For spoilers, keywords, summary, disclaimers and author's notes, see Part 1 MORE AUTHOR'S NOTES: Our favourite heroes are still a little... shall I say upset? Angst, anger, truths tossed straight at their faces, and ... oh, yes, some civilised sex talk. You're been warned. Read at your own risk. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* WILLS INN / COASTAL MAINE AUGUST 25 10:05 P.M. I contemplate the events of this past weeks while lying on this hotel's bed, staring at the ceiling. The "redhead killer" case is closed and almost forgotten. I can go back and play in the basement until another one of this monsters comes out and my profiler skills are requested again. This will suit me just fine, except that, since that case, I'm down there playing by myself. Scully's been reassigned. She'll never work at the X-Files again. Oh, I could count on her medical expertise if I needed it. Except that I'd have to request it off the records. I'm not allowed to work directly with her anymore. I wonder what would have happened if things had been different that night at her apartment... */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* DANA SCULLY'S APARTMENT AUGUST 10 02:17 A.M. "Why is it so hard to accept that we're in love with each other?" The question hung in the air between us, unanswered. Scully looked at me for a brief second, then proceeded to look at the floor. She was biting her lower lip, as she usually does when deep in thought. I wanted to say something, anything, to relieve the oppressive silence that engulfed her apartment, but was afraid of opening my mouth. I was scared shitless of making things worse than they were. Not that I thought it was possible. "Is that all you have to say?" Her question caught me off-guard and threw me out of balance. I had not expected this reaction. So much for expecting the unexpected... "Excuse me?" "I asked if that was ..." "I heard you fine the first time, Scully. What I'm asking is what do you mean by that" "Isn't it obvious?" God! I hate it when she plays with my mind like this! I'm the psychologist, for Christsakes! "Cut the bullshit, ok Scully? I'm not in the mood for your intriguing mind games right now" "So you don't want to play anymore?" "S-cu-llee..." I was loosing my temper again. I believe she felt it, too, for she sat down again and motioned me to do the same. "So... your only explanation is that we're in love with each other and we're stupid or stubborn enough as to not recognise or admit it" There's Scully for you. She has a way of summarising everything and making it sound so damn logical. "In a nutshell...yeah, I guess you can say that." "And what are you planning to do about it?" Why is it that she always has to bring up the most difficult questions in the minimum amount of time? Why can't she just humour me and beat about the bush for a little while? Just long enough for me to come up with the answer? "I ... I d-don't know, Scully" "Don't know or don't care?" I stare at her, not believing how much misunderstanding could go on between us. We could read our minds like an open book, but we were certainly clueless when it came to the matters of the heart. "How can you say that I don't care? Scully, what I feel for you is so complex that I can't even begin to understand it, let alone put it in words, and you're accusing me of not caring?" "Then try to explain it to me, Mulder, cause I don't understand it" I lean forward and rest my head on my hands. I also let out a sigh. I had done a wonderful job at screwing everything so far, that I seriously doubted I could make things any worse than they already were. Any way you looked at it, this was the end of the X-Files. After tonight's fiasco I didn't think Scully would want to work with me again. Heck, I'd be lucky if she didn't slap a sexual harassment lawsuit on me. I was going to get my ass canned for good. And if, just if, everything worked out just fine, those Bureau regulations would never allow us to work together. So, there I was, stuck in a no-win situation, while Scully waited for my response. The only problem was, I didn't know how to answer her question. "Where would you like me to begin?" "What were you doing following me?" At least she began with the easy part. "I was worried for your safety and Skinner sort of authorised me to follow you. We didn't really trust the guys at VCS for keeping an eye on you" "And you couldn't trust me for taking care of myself" "No! It's not that. As I told you before, I know you're capable of taking care of yourself. Hell, you even take care of me most of the times! But you seriously didn't expect me to stay sitting in the basement, not knowing what was going on, did you?" For the first time since I began explaining my actions I dared to look up at here. She seemed to be considering my words, and I even ventured a small smile. "No. It really would be asking too much of you. But what were you doing at the night club tonight? What was all that stuff about us being friends?" Things were starting to look more difficult. This was a touchy question. I pondered my options before answering. Half-truths wouldn't do at the moment... What the hell! We've spent the last 5 years searching for the truth, we should, at least, be able to face it when it came to us... "I-I ... really don't know how to put it. I knew you'd be mad if I showed up as your partner, because it would mean that I didn't trust you enough as to let you work by yourself. And if I tried to come across as the insanely jealous lover you'd kick my ass, quite rightfully, I might add, cause I don't have the right to act that part yet, so I ..." "Yet?" Damn it! Fuck! Oh shit! And now what? How am I supposed to answer that? "Umm... Scully... I believe you know by now that my feelings for you go beyond those of a partner... and I was insanely jealous of all the guys at the club, thinking they might want to get more ... personal with you, so..." "So it was easier for you to do your big macho number, acting territorial and snarling at everyone who got close to me?" Not knowing what to say, I just nodded, "Has it occurred to you that I don't want your protection? That two brothers is all I'm willing to stand?" "But I don't want to protect you! I don't want to be your brother, damnit! And after tonight, I don't even want to be your partner!" "So what you want to be, then?" "I want to be your lover" */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* The statement went unanswered for a couple of minutes. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and deeply ashamed. I knew I had made a very stupid mistake by letting my emotions take over. A really bad mistake. I knew I ... My inner guilt-trip was interrupted by Scully's laughter. Wait. No. It wasn't a laugh. It was more like a ... snort. A very bitter snort. I looked up to see her, and I almost regretted the action. "You ... you want to be my lover???" her voice was coated with scepticism and disdain. I nodded, not knowing what to say. "Bastard!" Her shriek felt like a blow to my guts. "Why? Why? Tell me why you feel the need to make fun of me!" "But I'm not making fun of you, Scully! I really meant it when I said that ..." "Oh, no. Of course you didn't! How can you say that? I know what I saw back at the club, Mulder! You walked out on me!" "It's not like that, Scully! You have it all backwards!" "Really? And how's that, huh? Whatever your reasons, it all comes down to the fact that YOU walked out on me!" Scully can be so excruciatingly stubborn sometimes the I find it hard not to loose my patience with her. This seemed to be the case just then... "Ok, Miss Know-it-all, and why exactly did I walk out on you, as you so self-righteously put it?" I don't know if it was the question, or the sarcasm with which I had stated the question, but Scully seemed at a loss for words. Momentarily, that is. "Because you were repulsed by what you saw" Her voice had dropped considerable decibels, so many, in fact, that I had a hard time just hearing her. What came loud and clear, though, was the defeat and sadness in her words. And then I understood. Time and time again Scully had hinted she had been a kind of "late-bloomer", always on the shadow of her sister Melissa's light. She'd grown up feeling insecure about her looks, so she found it almost impossible to believe that someone could find her attractive, desirable. Scully has always taken pride of her mind and her skills. She was confident on them. Although people speculated if her beauty had helped her attain her present position, I know Scully would never rely on her looks to achieve something. Firstly, because she's too damn honourable. Secondly, because she doesn't know she has them. I mean, she knows she's your average nice. She still hasn't realised what a knock-out she is. And then I remembered something else. I had once complimented on how good she looked now that the cancer was finally gone, and she had replied, somewhat harshly, that, at least, she could now bear to look at her reflection on the mirror. I thought she was making a joke out of an uncomfortable situation. Now I know better. "Scully ...", my voice was quieter, more gentle now, "I'd never feel repulsed by you..." Her subdued anger came back to life with that. "Oh, come on! Look at me, Mulder! Just take a good look at me!" She got up from the couch and hastily removed the terry robe she was wearing. Underneath, she was still in her "stripper's gear". I did as she requested, and took a good long look at her. And damn my soul if I didn't feel aroused again. I must have stared at her, wide-eyed and mouth slightly open for longer than I thought, for she covered herself up again. "See? You have nothing to say. You can't think of one nice thing to say to me. Oh, God! I made a fool of myself in that club!" She crumbled back on the couch. I got up and kneeled in front of her, taking her face in my hands. "Scully ... you're so beautiful I'm speechless..." She looked at me with big eyes, full of fear and hope. And my heart melted. She was afraid I'd lie to her, but nevertheless hoped I was telling her the truth... "Mulder..." I silenced her with a finger. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Not only that, you're intelligent and caring and strong. And the combination is lethal. You're so damn sexy that you make my head spin..." "Sexy? You think I'm sexy?" Scully's voice was filled with amazement and incredulity. "You sure as hell are. Believe me, I know sexy when I see it, and I'm looking at it right now" "But then ... at the club...why did you... I mean..." "You want to know why I left before you finished dancing?" Scully just nodded, lowering her gaze. "Well,, Scully, I figured that having a fully dressed orgasm once a day was more than enough..." "What?!" Scully's expression was one of shock and indignation. "I followed you to the club and watched you rehearse while I stayed in the darkness. Watching you dance fully clothed was one of the most erotic things I've ever seen. I was so aroused by your movements that one touch was all I needed ... call it mental masturbation if you want." "Why... you...you..." "But watching you perform that night was more than I could stand. And watching you while you watched me watching you... that shattered any self-restraint I had. I was actually whimpering and moaning in my seat, and I could barely resist the urge to climb on that stage and take you in my arms and kiss you like you deserve to be kissed... so I turned my back on this sexual fantasy come true and ran to the bathroom before I managed to embarrass us both..." She slapped me. Twice. She pushed me away from her with all her strength and got up, standing behind the couch. Her breathing was ragged and her hair flew wildly about her face. I looked at her, searching for a clue on how to proceed. "You... pervert! How dare you turn me into a sexual object! You, of all people! I'm your partner, not one of those bimbos you date! I'm not one of those porn starlets you're so fond of! I'm not a sexual fantasy, goddamit!" I slowly got up, rubbing my face. "If you can't handle the truth, then why do you ask for it on the first place?" She was bewildered. "Truth? What truth? What the hell are you talking about, Mulder?" I walked to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "My truth. Our truth. The whole truth. I've wanted you so badly since I first saw you, that I was determined to get you out of the X Files so I had a chance to score with you. But then I took a look at what was inside that tempting body and fell head over heels in love with you." Scully was beginning to look scared. "Mulder... you didn't... you shouldn't have..." "Don't you think I know that? Do you have the faintest idea what it's been like working next to you this past 5 years? Having you at an arm lenght and not being able to touch you, when every fucking cell in my body was screaming at me to do it?" "Mulder... I..." "Do you know how many times I had to excuse myself and hide somewhere dark until I regained my composure? Do you know the hell I've been through laying in a motel room knowing you were 10 feet away from me, and not being able to do anything? How excruciating it was to be able to do nothing except dream that you were in bed with me? Countless nights I've sat in my apartment, watching those goddamned videos, wondering how it would feel to do those things with you. I've lost count of how many times I've jerked off, thinking about you. I mean, God! I come screaming your name, Scully. I would wish it were your hands touching me. I'd long to hear my name on your lips too. I imagined us in ecstasy, filled with desire for each other's touch. I dreamed of coming inside you..." Scully's gaze had fallen to the floor. Tears were slowly rolling down her face. "I-I'm so-sorry, Mulder. I-I didn't k-know..." I slowly hugged her. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. This is just the way things are. Please don't cry, Dana, it's not worth it." I felt her body stiffen in my arms. "How can it be not worth it?" "Don't get me wrong, Scully. Loving you is worth everything I have. I could never trust anyone as much as I trust you. I wouldn't want any other partner, nor I could wish for a better friend. But, if I had to choose between what I now have and becoming your lover, I'd rather keep the former. Sexual frustration is a small price to pay if I get to keep you by my side. I can always rely on my fantasies to get by..." Scully was now crying openly. "It's just not fair, Mulder. Why can't we have everything? Why should we be forced to choose? Why can't we be partners and friends and lovers at the same time?" I pulled her away from me, trying to get a look at her face, not believing what I had just heard. She must have noticed my disbelief, for she kept on talking. "You're not the only one suffering from unrequited love and sexual frustration, Mulder" "Scully, just because I've bared my soul to you doesn't mean you have to make it up for me somehow.." She let out an exasperated sigh. "How can you be so dense, so... so stupid? You're not the only one who has gone through hell trying to keep emotions in check, you know. That pouty mouth of yours has driven me crazy more times than I care to remember. But that's not all. Your intelligence, your wits, your passion, your quirky sense of humour... I've fought so hard not to love you, but it's something beyond my control now. The only thing that has kept me from jumping your bones are those damn regulations. If I hadn't been brought up to always play by the book, I'd..." "You'd what?" "I'd cross the line" "And what's stopping you? I mean, if you really felt this was right, why haven't you done something about it?" "For the same reasons you haven't. I can't live without you in my life, and this really irritates me. I'm not used to surrendering so completely, to totally loose control and let go. I'm afraid I'll get so caught up inside you that I'll never be myself again." "But, then again, I can't live in fear all my life, can I?" I pondered her question carefully. I was willing to walk through hell and back for her, for us. Was she willing to do the same? Did she truly believed we had a future, and that such future was worth risking everything we had? I had to know for sure. "Would you do it Scully? For me?" A little smile played on her lips. "When will you learn that not everything is about you?" "But I want it to be." I gently cuped her face with my hands, moving closer to her. My mouth was barely inches away from hers. "May I?" Scully closed her eyes and barely nodded. And so, I kissed her. As long as I live, the image of that first kiss will remain etched in my memory. It was soft and tender, yet passionate and possessive at the same time. It went beyond my fantasies and my memories of past loves. I know recognised I hadn't known what love really was until I met Scully. I felt immediately aroused, but it went beyond sexual. This wasn't just my body trying to release my building passion. This was more than that. It was a yearning of my heart, an aching in my mind, an unfulfillment of my soul. That kiss had doomed me forever. If I couldn't have her, all of her, my existence was over. I would carry on like a ghost, like a shadow, like a whisper of my former self. I would continue until the pain filled every nook, every cell of my being... until it was unbearable, and then I'd put an end to it. Which meant I had barely a few minutes left to live. We separated. Scully's cheeks were gleaming with tears, as I was sure mine were. I let her go, and she blindly reached for the sofa, slumping down on it. "Damn it, Mulder! Why did this have to happen? I can't go back to being just your partner, I just can't!" Once again, I kneeled in front of her. "Do you trust me, Dana?" She didn't hesitate. "With my life". "Marry me" */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* END RUBY (7/8) ------NetAddressPart-00--=_RDPD5552S904bbadf04 Content-Type: text/plain; name="Ruby 8.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="Ruby 8.txt" TITLE: RUBY (8/8) AUTHOR: Ary GH E-MAIL: foxdvd@netscape.net RATING: NC-17 CATEGORY: MSR For spoilers, keywords, summary, disclaimers and author's notes, see Part 1 MORE AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm in favour of the practice of safe sex. In this day and age, it would be rather stupid not to use a condom when you engage in a new relationship. But for the sake of this story, and regarding this character's complex relationship, I'm leaving that issue out of the equation. I have my reasons for this. If you're interested on what these reasons are, please e-mail me. Then again, if you're not Mulder and Scully, or any other character in the fiction realm, please do practice safe sex and use a condom, ok? Having said that, I proceed with the story. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* WILLS INN / COASTAL MAINE AUGUST 25 10:15 P.M. I'm starting to get restless. After so many years spent travelling, you'd expect I'd be used to sleeping in motel rooms. But I'm not. I don't like it. I feel trapped, encaged. So, I'll do what I always do. I reach for the remote. Scully once told me that my tv addiction borders on obsession. It isn't. Not really. I just use tv to free my mind when my body is confined. Which is often enough to grant a severe addiction level. I channel surf. Typical male behaviour, I know. I catch the end of a movie, a romantic comedy by the looks of it. A couple kissing in close-up. Then the take opens and you see them at the altar. The wedding scene freezes and the credits start to roll. My mind wanders back to that night in Scully's apartment. To say that my marriage proposal was something totally unexpected would be an understatement of major proportions. Scully never saw it coming. Heck, even I didn't see it coming. It just happened. Not that I regret it. After five long years living in denial, asking Scully to marry me was the most natural thing in the world. Sure. Fine. Whatever. The truth was that I was scared shitless. My conscience was out cold. My lust was whining. My intellect was screaming a long string of blasphemies to the other two. And my heart? Feeling very pleased with itself, thank you. He was just sitting there, knowing he could be annihilated in 30 seconds and not giving a shit. Well, I did give a shit. A truckload of it, to be perfectly honest. I had just proposed to the only woman I'd ever propose to and she hadn't uttered a single word. I had to understand her, though. Fifteen minutes before we were screaming, hurling the most damaging accusations at each other. Ten minutes before I finally confessed the overwhelming impact she has on my sexual fantasy life. Five minutes before we said we were sorry and shared our first kiss. Next thing I knew, I was on my knees, asking her to trust me and marry me. Who said I wasn't a romantic soul? */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* DANA SCULLY'S APARTMENT AUGUST 10 3:19 A.M. Scully just stared at me, her eyes wide open, without uttering a single word. I begun to feel nervous, thinking I had fucked it up, again. But damn my soul to hell if I was going back on my words. "Why?" That soft three-letter syllable hit my guts with such intensity that I could feel the wind getting knocked out of me. I expected a yes, a no, a kiss, a kick in my groin. I could even expect laughter or ire. But I never expected a why. "Why am I asking you to marry me? Is that what you want to know? Isn't it obvious, Scully? We just went through hell and back on our own private emotional roller coaster, and you still ask me why?" She looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm not asking you to tell me why you proposed. I know the answer to that one. What I'd like to know is, why know? Why not tomorrow or next week? Why now?" Have I ever mentioned that Scully has this gift for asking the most difficult questions first? "It felt like the right time to do it. I wanted you to know that what I feel for you is for real, that my feelings for you will never change. That if there's going to be an "us", I want it to be forever. This is not a game and it's not one of my impulsive whims. If we decide to give it a try, we go the whole way. For me, it is an all or nothing gamble. And I placed all my chips on us." She stared at me for a second, and then blessed my soul with a smile. "I never considered a marriage proposal could be used as gambling chips..." "A lifetime commitment is a serious bet." "Is that how you see it? As a lifetime commitment?" I took her hands in mine. "With your Catholic upbringing and my family background, divorce is definitively out of the question, Scully. I know you could do better than me, but..." She placed one finger on my lips. "I'd never find someone better than you, Mulder. I'd never be able to love someone else the way I love you. And I'd never want to find someone else." "I love you, Fox Mulder, and I will keep on doing so till the end of my life." Scully placed her hands on both sides of my face and leaned down to kiss me. And I lost myself completely in that kiss. I could feel the softness of her lips on mine, the swift movements of her tongue against my teeth, requesting sanctuary inside my mouth. And, once again and forever this time, I granted her access into my soul. Softness gave way into passion. Tenderness dissolved in desire. My hands tangled in her hair. My mouth working on a frenzy trying to devour hers. Soon, my hunger could not be appeased by mere kisses anymore. I needed her, all of her. I longed to imprint every inch of her being with my own self. I wanted to feel her passion press against mine, melt within mine, grow along with mine... We separated, gasping for air, feeling incomplete at the loss of touch. I looked into Scully's eyes, and shivered. If indeed the eyes are the mirror of the soul, hers were a turmoil of emotion, swirling and gaining momentum, sweeping everything in its path. I yearned to get lost there, yet I knew that I was looking into the twin reflection of my own need. But Scully's gaze spoke of a vast array of emotions: there was love, lust, desire, need, adoration, and ... fear. I couldn't help but wonder why she was afraid. Maybe she was having doubts. Maybe she was regretting the whole thing. Maybe she had just realised that this was a mistake and was afraid of my reaction. Maybe she was scared of hurting me when she rejected me. Maybe... "Mulder..." I braced myself. Here came the final blow. She was going to tell me that this couldn't work out, that I'd better go, that... "I love you so much that it scares me." Love? Scully is afraid of love? The woman who could fight aliens and mutants was afraid of her feelings? What was going on here? "I don't understand, Scully ... what exactly are you afraid of?" "I'm afraid of feeling this happy. Of loosing you now that I've finally found you. Of the uncertainty of our future together. Of loosing control... there are so many things that scare me right now, Mulder, that I don't know if I've got enough guts to face them." I caressed her cheek. "Scully... Dana. We deserve to be happy. I can't promise you a fairy tale romance. God knows my armour is way too tarnished to play a decent Prince Charming, though I believe I qualify for the frog part..." I saw her smile and something inside me started to melt. "But I'm willing to face every challenge destiny decides to throw our way." "So you're not afraid..." "Who, me? Spooky Mulder, chaser of aliens? You gotta be... absolutely right. I'm so fucking scared that I'm afraid of moving! But I know in my heart this is what I want, and I won't settle for anything less than you." Scully looked at me hesitatingly, "No regrets?" "None whatsoever. You're stuck with me for good this time. I'll even give you ownership rights..." She licked her mouth in a way that send shivers down my spine. "So, what you're saying is that I own you..." My voice came as a hoarse whisper. "Ye-es." Her voice acquired a husky tone. "That's good, because I'm planning on laying claim of your body right now." Scully swiftly pushed me down to the floor and followed suit. I could fell her body pressed to mine and a fireball of desire washed all over me. I could feel her hands sliding down my sides and I could barely repress a shudder. I tried to raise my hands to imitate her movements, but she quickly grabbed my arms and pinned them to the floor by my sides. "No touching allowed, Mr. Mulder. Not until I'm trough with you". I think I moaned just then. I also think I heard her laugh. I can't be sure, though. All rational thoughts seemed to have vanished then and there. She began to softly kiss my brow, my eyes, my cheeks. I felt the flicker of her tongue on my lips, and I opened my mouth, eager to feel her inside. But she just kept on going downwards, kissing and licking the outline of my jaw. By the time her teeth were grazing my earlobes, I was purring like a kitten. "Sc-scu-lly", I gasped, "did you read a book on how to make your partner nervous or something?" "Don't know," she replied, licking the hollow of my throat. "Am I making you nervous?" "Well, I... I" "That tee has to go, Fox darling." Maybe it was the words. Maybe it was the way she said the words. But I swear to God I must have broken some sort of physics law while trying to take off my henley. I started to undo my belt buckle when she stopped me. "Going somewhere?". Her voice was husky, sensual. It gave me some serious Goosebumps... the nice variety. "N-no, I d-don't think so." My stammering sure made me come across as a worldly man... "Then, what's the rush? We've got the rest of our lives. But, tonight, we have some unfinished business to take care of." She stood up and removed the robe. I gulped and felt my eyes leave their sockets. Nothing, and I mean nothing, prepared me for this. My hands caught her calves and started to caress them. "Ah-ah-ah. No touching, remember? Just lay still and enjoy the show you missed..." I'm not sure I ever expected to see this daring and bold side of my partner... it seemed so out of character. From demure agent to tantalising vixen in three easy steps. But I wasn't about to complain. My only worries right then were having enough self-restraint as to let her finish stripping before I decided to take things a little bit farther... There was no music, but there wasn't the need of any. Scully began swaying her hips in a rhythm old as time itself. Her eyes were closed and she was licking her lips while her hands began moving all over her body. I could feel myself grow hard again, and I had to ball my hands into fists to avoid touching her... and me. A bolt of pleasurable pain was rippling through my body, and hit my groin the moment she took off the push-up bra. I couldn't tear my eyes from her breasts. They were almost perfect. Not too much, not too little, sagging just a bit from the natural pull of gravity. Her nipples were hardened, as if begging to be sucked and bitten. On second thought, her breasts *were* perfect. I had spent too much time gazing at surgically enhanced tits, but I soon realised how great natural breasts looked. And hers were absolutely perfect. Scully's hands kept on roaming down her body. It was such a powerful and erotic sight I couldn't help but moan inwardly. I tried, unsuccessfully I might add, to shift inside my jeans and give my almost-fully erect cock some "breathing" room. It really was no use- it actually made matters worse. I think my whimpering must have been what gave me away. Scully looked at me and I pleaded with my gaze. She responded by moving her hands farther down and removing her g-string. I got lost in a sea of red curls, and I longed to tangle my fingers and my tongue in them. I had to clench my fists and bit my lower lip to stop me from doing it. Scully, wearing only a garter belt and the silk stockings, kneeled down and began working on removing my jeans. I gave a sigh of relief, and lifted my hips to help her lower them. She leaned down and took off my shoes and my socks and pulled down the jeans. So there I laid, naked except for my cotton briefs, with a raging hard-on begging to be touched. Scully straddled my knees and leaned forward, and proceeded to lick and suck at my nipples, while brushing her own against my stomach. 12 seconds later I was moaning and breathing heavily, and wiggling underneath her body. Scully hissed, "Stop moving or I won't continue." I practically froze at her words. She began making her way down, licking and kissing and nipping and driving me crazy. She flicked her tongue inside my belly button and I thrusted into her. My reaction was both powerful and startling. No one had ever done it before, how could I have known it'd be such an erotic experience? I'd never considered the belly button as an erogenous zone before, and now I couldn't wait for her to do it again. But Scully had other ideas. She kept on moving farther south, toying with the elastic band of my briefs. I knew I had been told to lay still, but that was becoming inhumanly possible. Try not to move when the woman of your dreams is naked on top of you, softly blowing on your erection and licking her lips in anticipation... it is simply impossible. I felt her mouth lower on top of me. I inhaled deeply and held my breath until I nearly passed out. Scully had lowered my underwear just enough to free my cock and was giving me one of the best blowjobs I'd received in a long time. I felt my muscles tense and decided to stop her before it was too late. "Scully...oh God, please... wait." She looked up at me with a questioning eyebrow raised. Her eyes lost their elated look and a worrisome expression swept her face. "Why? Am I... am I doing something wrong? Don't you like it?" I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, until we were face to face, and kissed her. I realised she must have felt very insecure on what she was doing... and swore that I'd never let her feel that way again. "You're are doing everything absolutely right... too right, as a matter of fact. I love the feel of your mouth and your teeth and your hands, it's just that.... I'm not a teen anymore, and you'd given me quite a workout the last 24 hours... I really don't think my friend here would be up for seconds... and I wouldn't like it if you thought I was less of a man just now..." Scully giggled, perhaps remembering the last time I said those words to her. But I didn't want her to get off track here. "Besides", I whispered confidentially into her ear, "I want...Scully, I need to come inside you..." I felt her stiffen in my arms. I began kissing her again, moving from one earlobe to the other, tracing the outline of her jaw with my tongue until I felt her relax. My kisses began a downward journey until I found her nipples. Scully was sighing and moaning and digging her fingers on my hair. I kept on lavishing her breasts with my attentions until she moved my head away from them, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Stop. Oh, please, stop." I panicked. "Did I hurt you?" "No... they're just too sensitive right now. I can't stand it." Understanding dawned on me. Sex always threaded between pain and pleasure. And too much of a good thing, no matter how pleasurable, could quickly turn into pain. And as sure as hell didn't want to change the mood. My whole body was screaming for release. Had this been any other woman I wouldn't have thought twice about it and I'd simply let my body have its way. But this was Dana Scully. She was the only woman for me for the rest of my life. I'd given her so much sorrow and pain in the last five years that I wasn't willing to let her go on hurting anymore. Never again. I grabbed unto the self-control I barely had, and began making my way towards her lower curls. I had just placed my mouth on top of them when I felt her hands on my head. "Don't." It was a hoarse whisper. I looked up at her. "But I want to plea..." "Not now. I don't need it right now. I just need to feel you inside me. Oh, please, Mulder, make love to me. Now." They were simple words. But they were spoken with passion and desire. With primal need. Who was I to deny her anything? I pulled myself up to her mouth again and kissed once more. Holding her body tightly, I lifted her and shifted until she was on top of me. "I'm yours, Scully. Take me. Use me. Show me how to make love to you". I surrendered my body to her, and, with it, I surrendered all control. She rubbed herself against me a couple of times. I began moaning and moving against her. It felt so good, I was speechless. And then, with the awkwardness proper of those whose bodies are beginning to make an acquaintance, she positioned herself and slowly lowered into me. I bit my lower lip, hard. It was the only thing I could do to prevent me from coming right there and then. I didn't want our first time as lovers to end so quickly, but there wasn't much I could do to stop it, short of getting up and taking a cold shower. You see, long time abstinence has its downsides, after all. As much as solo sex was an important part of my daily life, it had been a long time since I last was inside a woman. And what a woman I was inside of right now! She was tight and hot and wet, and I could feel her inner muscles clenching and unclenching in a mind-blowing rhythm. Her hips were swaying and she was slowly moving up and down my length. Suddenly, her breathing became harsher, and her movements turned faster and random. She was tightening around me and moaning heavily. "Oh, Fox...ple-ease!" Her whimpering plead completely undid me. I grabbed her by the hips and began thrusting into her like a madman. My mind was fogged by the physical sensations, and pretty soon my orgasm shattered through my body, and I came grunting her name. I knew her body was still seeking release, and I did the only thing I could think of. I moved my hand farther up her thigh and began thumbing her clit. Three or four strokes later I felt her whole body tense. She let out a small yelp and collapsed on top of me. Holding her in my arms, I twisted so we were laying side by side, her head resting on the hollow of my shoulder. I kissed her forehead, unable to speak. As our breaths returned to normal, we drifted into sleep. Morning found us naked, laying in each others arms. I woke up to find her blue eyes intently looking at me. "Morning, Sunshine." I whispered. "Morning, handsome." She whispered back, and leaned forward to kiss me. We continued to kiss for a while. Languid, loving kisses, full of unspoken promises, of things yet to come. I could spend the rest of my life waking up next to her, and that's what I intended to do, if she was willing to have me. "Scully..." She placed a finger to my lips. "Sshh, Mulder. I do." */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* WILLS IN / COASTAL MAINE AUGUST 25 10:33 P.M. And she did. We got married two days ago. Our wedding wasn't big, or glamorous. It was more like a private affair. Her brother Bill wasn't very happy about it, and his duties at sea prevented him form coming, so Walter Skinner gave her away and I asked Stan Carlbadier to be my best man. He earned the right that night at the Stardust. We're now spending a couple of days in Maine. Next Saturday we're catching a plane to Jamaica, for a week long honeymoon. We'll have a couple of free days when we return, which will be spent moving into our new house in Georgetown. As we had suspected, the Bureau split us up. As of September 12, Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, aka Mrs. Fox Mulder, will become head of the forensics department in VCS. Me? I'm getting a new office for the X-Files. I'm also getting the chance to choose 3 new Agents to work under my supervision. And I'm also the new Profiler Supervisor at VCS. Which means I can still work with Scully every now and then. I lost the best partner any agent could ever wish for. But I gained a whole lot more. More than I ever expected that gloomy day in March when a rookie redhead came into my basement office. Sure, the danger is still there. Now bigger than ever. But our happiness is worth the risk. If push comes to shove, we can always quit the Bureau and teach. I don't need the FBI to continue my search for the truth. But I'll always need her by my side. I hear the bathroom door open, and I look up to see my bride wearing a soft pale silk night-gown, which I went back to Victoria's Secrets to buy. Dana looks at me, amused. "I leave you for three minutes and you're already playing with that remote." "There was nothing better to do while you were gone", I reply. "And now that I'm here?" she asks, teasing me. I grab her by the waist and throw her in bed next to me. "Now I can't make up my mind as to where to start." She laughs and I lower myself to kiss her. The rest of my life has just begun. */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* THE END