From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 13:35:55 -0500
Subject: Mai Tais on the Beach by redbarrel
Source: direct

Reply To: redbarrel42@yahoo.com


Title:Mai Tais on the Beach
Author: Redbarrel
Feedback: redbarrel42@yahoo.com
Distribution: Anywhere, please just e-mail me so I can
visit
Disclaimer:  I don't own them, I'm not making any
money
Rating:    PG
Keywords:  MSR
Summary: A conversation in the car


    "Have you ever wanted to travel, Scully?  I mean 
really travel."
    She sighed.  Not in frustration or sadness.  It 
was just a sigh.  "I guess.  When I was little."
    "When you were little?"
    She didn't answer immediately, instead just 
watching the miles of Nebraska fields streak by.  "My 
dad would come home with all these fabulous stories 
of exotic places.  I wanted so badly to see what he 
saw."  She paused.  "Maybe I thought if I could share 
those experiences, it would bring me closer to him."
    "What changed?" he asked softly from the driver's 
seat.
    "When I was 13, we moved to our 5th base.  I 
decided I just wanted to pick a home and never 
leave."  She finally turned away from the window to 
watch her words sink in.
    "You.. you don't like all the traveling we do?"
    She smiled.  "At first I didn't.  But now, a 
nameless motel in the middle of nowhere with you 
seems more of a home than my apartment."
    He took his eyes off the road to return her 
smile.
    "But traveling across the country isn't what you 
meant, was it?  You mean more.. exotic places."
    He nodded.
    She shrugged.  "I like to feel at home."
    Many monotonous miles passed before Mulder spoke 
again.  "I couldn't wait to get as far away from home 
as I could."
    "That's why you went to Oxford."
    "Yes.  When I was a kid, I became obsessed with 
learning about.. exotic places, as you say.  I 
imagined myself there, as far away from my parents as 
my mind could take me.  I chose Oxford not only for 
the distance, but also so I could see Europe and all 
those places I read about."
    "So did you get to see everything?"
    He nodded enthusiastically.  "My parents didn't 
care if I came home during the summers or not.  So 
I'd come back for a week or two, to remind them I 
still existed, and then I'd spend the rest of the 
summer on the road."
    "Did you do that every summer you were there?"
    "During my undergrad years, yes.  Post-grad I was 
too busy with research."
    "I bet Phoebe wasn't too happy with you being 
gone 3 months at a time."
    He snorted.  "I told Phoebe my parents made me 
come home, and she'd think I was back in the states 
the whole time."
    Scully giggled.
    "There's still some more places I want to hit.  I 
want to see the Greek ruins, and eat Shwarma in the 
Mediterranean.  I want to swim in the Caribbean and 
drink Mai Tais on its beaches.  I wanted.." his voice 
wavered.  "I was lonely traveling across Europe by 
myself.  I wanted to do all these things with you.  
But if you wouldn't be comfortable away from home..."
    She continued to stare out her window, not quite 
able to face him directly as she said, "Mulder, 
anywhere you are feels like home."
    She could see his smile in the reflection in the 
window.  "But I'm not too big on Shwarma," she said.
    "No problem.  We'll get you a Lamb-kabob.  You OK 
with the Mai Tais?"
    "With the Shwarma and Lamb-kabobs?"
    "No.  Mai Tais on the beach."
    "Mmm... that sounds nice.  Though, I'm partial to 
Sex on the Beaches."
    Mulder started coughing, badly enough to make him 
pull the car over.  Scully covered up a giggle.  Once 
he caught his breath, he pulled out his cell phone.
    "Mulder, what are you doing?"
    He just smiled into his phone.  "Yes, hi.  I need 
to make two reservations to St. Croix.  First class, 
and.. some nameless hotel."
    Scully smiled back at him.
    "When?  As soon as possible."