From: "formysunshineboy" Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2001 19:14:21 -0000 Subject: xfc: Happiness - Colds, Flus, and Ailments of the Spirit by shawntaw Source: xfc Title: Happiness: Cold, Flu, and Ailments of the Spirit Author: shawntaw Category: MSR, Au Rating: G Disclaimer: I don't own the x-files characters. I think we may have established that by now, don't you? The fact that I don't have any money and am making no money from this has, unfortunately, been established as well. *L* I also have no claims to DayQuil and/or NyQuil. One helps me during the day, but makes me slightly dizzy. The other knocks me out COLD. I don't even dream. I ain't kiddin'... Summary: "Mulder," she began in her warning voice, "go home and take care of yourself. You want to be at full strengh for the New Year's get-together with my family...trust me. Bill's going to be there."-*+ Feedback makes me very happy at shawntaw@hotmail.com :) TO DANIELA LABOD WHO HAS MADE A WEBSITE OF MY STORIES: www.geocities.com/corran_14776/shawntaw.html Thank you.:) ******************************************************* Scully paused outside the basement bathroom once more and considered knocking. The sound of deep coughing within practically vibrated the door. Her forehead creased. "Mulder?" More coughing was followed by throat-clearing. "Huh?" "You o.k.?" Mulder hacked. She heard him clear his throat again and then spit. "I have a cold. No big deal." She heard him blow his nose vigorously. "Mulder, maybe you should go home. It could be the flu, you know." The door opened. A very miserable, rumpled and stuffy-nosed Mulder filled the doorway. "Scully, I'm fine." The Queen of "I'm fine" flinched at his use of the phrase. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, Scully, that was a low blow," he dropped a kiss on the top of her head as he walked past her into their office, "but I really will be o.k." She followed him back to his desk and stood before it, arms crossed, regarding him. "Mulder," she began in her warning voice, "go home and take care of yourself. You want to be at full strengh for the New Year's get- together with my family...trust me. Bill's going to be there." Mulder took a swipe at his red, larger-than-normal nose with his hankerchief. "Yeah, I know," he said, stuffing the cloth back into his pocket, "Does he know yet?" Scully traced the top of his desk with her index finger, studying it intently. "No, only my mother. I-I wanted us to tell the rest of my family together." Mulder made a noise somewhere between a snort and a sniffle. "What?" Scully looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "You mean you want don't want to tell Bill by yourself. You're chicken, Scully, pure and simple." Her eyes sparked for a moment, but suddenly turned amused. "Fine. Do you blame me?" Once again Mulder snorted, this time in agreement. He reached across the mess atop his desk and pulled a tissue out of a box there. "Man, I hate colds," he said, blowing his nose lustily. Scully came around the desk and leaned over him. "Thinking of taking advantage of me while I'm weak, Agent Scully?" She ignored him and continued to lean toward him. She brushed his hair aside and pressed her lips to his forehead. They froze like that for a moment, he enjoying the feel of her cool lips on his forehead and she wondering how he could still function with a fever that high. Scully pulled back just enough to look him in the eye. "Mulder, it IS the flu, isn't it? Why are you even here today?" Mulder studied her eyes for a moment. Scully enjoyed the shifting hazel as he considered what to say. "I didn't want you to think I was ditching you on the dinner with your family. I thought I could just take some medicine and keep going," he said softly. "Mulder, if you're sick, you're sick," she smiled at him, "I understand." She closed the gap between them and kissed him, his fevered lips burning hers. "Scully, you'll get sick," Mulder protested against her kisses. She pulled away, smiling again. "I'm taking you home and taking care of you," she said firmly, but gently. "That won't look obvious at all," Mulder said, by neccesity breaking the spell by reaching for another tissue,"you and I leaving together to take the day off." Scully stood again and leaned a hip on the side of Mulder's desk as he, again, blew his nose. "Skinner won't care and no one else will notice. They'll just think we're going on a case," she pointed out. Mulder seemed to consider for a moment. "Fine," he said, standing wearily,"I give up. Let's go." They grabbed their coats and headed for the door. **************************************************************** On the elevator, Mulder leaned against the cool metal of the doors. "Ahhhh," he moaned. Scully patted his arm sympathetically. "Damn!" she suddenly cursed. "What?" Mulder lifted his head to look at her. "We forgot to tell Skinner." Mulder returned to pressing his forehead against the cool metal, "We'll stop on our way out. Push his floor." Scully reached over and pushed the appropriate button. ********************************************************************** ** Mulder and Scully sat on the couch in Skinner's reception area. Kimberly tried not to stare at them. Mulder looked terrible. He kept getting up every five seconds and snitching a tissue from the box on her desk and blowing his nose. He tried to cough quietly into his hankerchief without success. He sounded as though he were going to hock up a lung. Scully kept patting him on his knee and then pulling her hand away as though embarrassed to be caught mothering him. Kimberly smiled sypathetically at Mulder and came around to the front of her desk. She picked up the tissue box and brought it to him on the couch. "Here, Agent Mulder. Why don't you just keep this with you," Kimberly said, handing it to him. "Thanks, Kimberly," Mulder smiled up at her as he took the proffered box. Kimberly leaned close to Scully, "Are you taking him home?" Scully nodded, "If Skinner doesn't mind." "He won't. There isn't anything big going on right now. Everyone else," Kim waved her hand toward the hallway, "will just think you're on a case." Scully turned and raised an "I-told-you-so" eyebrow at Mulder. He didn't even rise to the bait. He simply blinked at her in misery. Both of her eyebrows went up at that. She reached over and felt his forehead. He was even hotter than before. "You don't have to tell me. I'm worse," Mulder said wearily. "We need to get you something for your fever. You have anything at home?" "I might have some DayQuil or NyQuil or something." Suddenly, Skinner's door opened and several agents walked out, talking. "We'll get right on that-" "Get the numbers from-" "Don't forget to requisition the-" The agents stopped their chatter as they came upon Kimberly and Scully hovering over Mulder. "What's the matter, Agent Mulder?" It was Agent Lindstrom. A nice guy and not really a big fan of the rumor mill. *Thank God. I really don't feel up to the whole "Spooky" schtick right now.* Mulder tried to smile at him gratefully. "These two ladies seem a little concerned that I might be getting sick," Mulder shook his head in mock resignation, "Women. What can you do?" He said jokingly. Scully and Kimberly shot him a look almost in unison. The three agents standing before him tried not to snicker. "Well, if you are sick, I'd say you're in good hands," Lindstrom said with a friendly smile at the three of them. The agents continued on their way, chatting about their case as they exited into the hallway. Skinner stood in his office doorway, considering the three of them. "Mulder, if you're not here to ask for the day off, you should be." He nodded and began coughing uncontrollably into his hankerchief. Skinner cringed, "For goodness' sake, Scully, get him home before he infects the whole building." Scully stood, pulling Mulder by the arm. "You heard the man, Mulder. Come on." "Bossy," Mulder mumbled as she pulled him out the door. ********************************************************************** *** Ok, I know I took a LONG time to post this. But over the holidays, EVERYBODY came to my house and EVERYBODY got the flu. (Thus, my inspiration.) And this is leading somewhere, I promise... (shawntaw blows nose) Ahem. Next is: Happiness: Colds, Flu, and Ailments of the Spirit II.. eventually we'll be going to Maggie Scully's for dinner with the family... including Bill.... Ooo boy...