From: juliettt@aol.com (Juliettt) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: "Lipstick" (Marriage) by Juliettt Date: 17 Feb 1996 23:57:44 -0500 "Lipstick" by Juliettt@aol.com (Completed January 7, 1996) This one is another Marriage story, set sometime very early in the third year of Scully's and Mulder's marriage. It's really more of a scene than a story, now that I think about it. Dana Scully (Mulder), Fox Mulder, and _The X-Files_ belong to Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions, FOX Broadcasting, and Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. I haven't asked permission for them to come out and play, but I'm hoping he doesn't mind as I mean no offense or creative toe-treading. William Fox Mulder, this story, and the universe of the Marriage series are mine, however. *************************** "Lipstick" by Juliettt@aol.com *************************** The alarm came on quietly to the soft rock station they had preset, barely loud enough to hear, but it was only a second before her fingers came over and clicked it off, lest it awaken him. She rolled back to her right, snuggling more closely against his body, and closed her eyes, breathing deeply the still early morning air, the coolness of leftover night, the smell of him. He was warm but the way his body curled around hers made her shiver slightly with the pleasure. It hadn't abated any since their marriage, and they still looked on one another with the eyes of new lovers even after more than two years. She wanted to stay here, just holding and being held, forever. Watching him sleep, amazingly, through the alarm and her small movements, tucked comfortably in the envelope of security their shared bed afforded. There were a few things that would always awaken him, of course: the shrill ring of the phone, the cry or coo of their son, her own voice speaking to him directly. But none of those came now and so he slept. She smiled, watching him, loving him. His hair fell down over his face, relaxed now, and so much like little William's. His bare chest rose and fell against her face and shoulder, clad in his pyjama top. His long fingers curled around her back, holding her close in the safest place she knew. And she wanted to stay. But after a long moment she frowned and sat up carefully, pulling away from him. He made a soft movement of protest and his brows tightened in a slight frown of his own. She slid away from him and he murmured until she rested her palm on his hair, stroking gently. "Shhh. Sleep, Fox," she whispered. He relaxed again and rolled over and reached for her pillow, pulling it snugly against his chest with a soft sigh. It was still warm from her body and he rubbed his face against it as though he thought it was she. His movements brought a lump to her throat. This was going to be very hard on both of them. They had not been separated for any significant length of time in years, particularly not since their marriage. She sighed almost silently and stood up, then crossed the room to where her clothes were hanging in wait for the morning. She took them and tiptoed softly out of the room, closing the door to the bathroom most of the way to dull the sounds but not enough that the soft *snick* of the latch would awaken him, and dressed quickly. She had showered -- they had showered -- the night before, so that she would not awaken him this morning. She smiled. He had taken the opportunity to join her. She gazed at herself in the mirror. Dr. Dana Katherine Scully, Special Agent and head of the Paranormal Pathologies division of the FBI. Mrs. Fox Mulder. "Mommy" to their son William. A happy, beloved woman. But this morning her eyes were sad. This was an enforced absence and she hated it. Hated being made to leave her husband and son, even for a week, even to give an important paper at an important international conference in Chicago before important people. No, that wasn't entirely true. She hated it precisely *because* it was "important." *This* was important -- this life they had made together in this house. She would be FBI until she retired, but she would *always* be his -- theirs. Scully applied her light makeup carefully. She never used much -- had never needed to do so. She reached for a tissue to blot her lipstick but stopped and reconsidered. A slow smile curved her lips and she reached for the tube again and wrote on the mirror. He would find it when he awoke. Then, leaning forward, she pressed her lips against the mirror. When she leaned back there was the perfect imprint of her lips in a kiss next to her message. She smiled again, imagining his reaction, then packed up her toiletries and abandoned the bathroom to darkness once more. A quick trip back through the bedroom. She paused at the door and looked at him, sprawled across their bed with her pillow clutched to his chest. A very tempting display indeed. She smiled again, this time a little sadly, and slipped out. Her bags were already next to the front door, and she added her toiletry bag and shoes to the pile, then headed back to the kitchen. Tea this morning -- the coffee would awaken Fox. She was tempted again but shook her head as she got out the cereal and juice. She would call the cab when she sat down to eat. Right now, however. . . . In stockinged feet she padded back to the back hallway, taking a left instead of a right. A few steps took her to the corner room, the nursery. She tiptoed up to the crib and peeked over the side rail. He was sprawled out on his stomach, his dark hair messy, his tiny, chubby arms clutching his teddy to his chest. His position almost mirrored Fox's, and she had to smile through the tears in her eyes. "Beautiful, isn't he," the quiet voice said behind her, and a pair of strong arms slid around her waist, pulling her back against a warm and bare chest. "Almost as beautiful as his daddy," she whispered, and he hugged her a little more tightly. They stood watching their son sleep for a long moment, then he kissed the top of her head and pulled her out into the hallway and into his arms once more. "Why are you up?" she asked against his shoulder. "Have you eaten yet?" came his voice in her hair. When she shook her head he continued. "Well, then, I guess I'm having breakfast with my wife." She drew back and smiled up at him and followed him into the kitchen. He began brewing coffee while she picked up the phone, dialled, and confirmed the cab. "I could take you." She shook her head. "You'd have to wake William and then he'd never get back to sleep." She looked at him. "I didn't want to wake you." "I'm glad I woke up," he said, pulling down two mugs. He had wanted to awaken before she did, just so he could hold her and watch her and savor their time together. A week wasn't forever, but right now it seemed like a horribly long sentence. "Coffee?" She accepted the mug and took a deep swallow. "Mmmm. . . ." They sat down to cereal and toast and the paper, which remained folded on the table where he had placed it. Instead they talked a little, using few words but many looks. Finally when they were done he told her to leave the dishes, and they moved to the couch. He opened his arms to her and she nestled against him and they held each other for a long time, gathering strength and enough love, they hoped, to see them through the coming week. "I'm going to miss you so much," he whispered against her hair. She nodded, rubbing her face against his skin. "Me, too." Finally she looked up and met his eyes, then his lips, a slow, long, deep kiss. No urgency. Just love and desire and contentment. And then they heard the car horn outside. He pulled away and stroked her face with sensitive fingertips. "Guess it's time." She nodded slowly. "Guess so." They rose from the couch together and walked to the front door. He bent to pick up her bags but she laughed and pointed to his bare chest and slipped on her shoes before picking them up, herself. He opened the door and she stepped out. The cabbie hurried over and took the suitcase and garment bag, leaving her with her purse and coat and computer. She looked back at Mulder standing in the doorway. Just look at him, standing there. Dark green pyjama bottoms and no top, his muscles flexing slightly as he leaned on one elbow against the doorway. Dark hair softly mussed from sleep. A faint shadow on his cheeks, scratchy with his nighttime beard. His eyes drowsy and warm, focusing on her. Lips curved up in a soft smile. Utterly male, utterly sexy, utterly hers. He was watching her. Just look at her, standing there. Gold linen suit and a soft, creamy blouse. His pearls in her ears and his ring on her finger. Red hair with gold highlights shining in the early morning sun, a soft, burning cloud around her face. Ivory skin and those sweet lips faintly colored with a neutral lipstick. Her eyes blue and filled with longing. Utterly female, utterly sexy, utterly his. She set down the laptop case and her purse and her folded coat atop them, deliberately, unmindful of the cab's meter running behind her, and walked purposefully back up the path and into his waiting arms, meeting his mouth more than halfway. A plea and a promise asked and answered instantaneously, and a sweet, hot kiss. His fingers in her hair, mussing it slightly, love rendering her more beautiful in his eyes. Then she stepped back and they looked at one another again. There was no need for words but they said them anyway, always mindful of opportunities wasted. "Love you, Scully." "Love you." And then she remembered the taxi and grabbed her things and flashed him a smile and hurried to the taxi and climbed in, slamming the door after her. She looked back at him, tears in her eyes, watching him standing there watching her, knowing his heart was both full and heavy, as hers was. And then the cab rounded the corner and she was gone, leaving him with a faint whiff of her perfume and a smudge of lipstick on his lips. *End* The Marriage Series: "Longing" ----------------------------------------- "Epithalamion" "Wonders Wrought" (2 parts) "The Last of the Chambord" "Waking" "On the Road" "Girls' Day Out" "Old Habits Die Hard" "Watching the Storm" "The Madness of an Hour" [*] "Life Changes" (2 parts) "Mother's Day" [*] "Success" "Nursemaid" [*] "Cherish" "Childhood Lullabies" [*] "Everything I Want for Christmas" [*] "Lullaby For a New Generation" "Lipstick" "Room Service" [*] [*] These stories are still in the editing process; the others may be found on the world wide web and ftp sites. Juliettt@mail.aol.com Troupe Leader, Dragon Posse, Lone Gunwoman #7, Eden Agent, Clan McBride, Wolfpack, DDEB 3, Extreme Possibilities, Faultliner, WWtBJLSWWGU, SKKS co-founder, BBTG!