From: Dtcsm@aol.com Date: Sat Jul 01 20:48:06 2000 Subject: xfc: *NEW* "More Necessary Things" 1/1 Source: xfc Title: More Necessary Things Author: Brit*Vik Category: UST Spoilers: Post-ep for "The Unnatural" Feedback: Do I really have to ask? Come on, people - it's the gift that keeps on giving! Archive: I would be honoured, but please let me know and keep my name and e-mail address attached. Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Mulder, Scully, Poor Boy or any of the characters or situations from "The X-Files." I wish I owned their clothes, though. Author's Notes : After many, *many* months of promising, my post-ep for "The Unnatural" is *finally* here. So, this one's for you, Annie. "MORE NECESSARY THINGS" *crack* *crack* "Oh, Mulder, this has been so much fun." "Well, sorry to throw *another* clich at you Scully, but all good things must come to an end. I think it's past Poor Boy's bedtime." They stood still for a minute, Scully tangled up in Mulder's arms. Scully sighed, and they pulled apart as Mulder went over to pay Poor Boy. Scully couldn't hear what they said, but she could hear a mischievous edge to the conversation. There was a lot of giggling then Poor Boy scampered away as Mulder lifted an arm in a fake threat. She heard Mulder call goodnight to him and then stood still, waiting for Mulder to come to her again. "I guess this is good-night, then," she said, with a voice full of sighs. "OK. Goodnight, Scully." She lingered for a moment and then turned away. As she closed the metal gate behind her, she heard Mulder call, "But if you want the rest of your birthday present, you're going to have to stay." She allowed herself a grin and then composed her face before turning around to face Mulder once more. "There's more?" "Of course. I figure, if I only remember your birthday in dog years, I might as well make a big deal of it when I do, right?" "Mulder, it's not my birthday." "Hey, go with it, Scully. You want the rest of your gift or not?" "Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?" she asked, with a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yes, I would like the rest of my gift. It's not often you make a fuss of me." She had meant it as a joke, but regretted it as soon as she saw the expression that came over Mulder's face. "I know," he almost whispered, with a note of sadness. "Hey, be cheery. It's my honorary birthday: new rule, no-one's allowed to be miserable." "You drive a hard bargain, Scully," he smiled, reassured. * * * * * * "Where exactly are we going?" "Just relax. I'm not going to let you fall." "I know that, and you know perfectly well that I trust you enough to let myself be led blindfold through God-knows-where by you, but it seems like we've been walking for ages." "You were one of those kids who asked if you were nearly there yet every five minutes in a car journey, weren't you, Scull?" "Ha ha." "OK, we're almost there." From what she had been able to gather, they were walking through some kind of forest, probably a part of the park. Scully had absolutely no idea what was going on, except for the fact that Mulder kept telling her she would enjoy what she saw when she was able to take off the blindfold. Had Mulder not been leading her by the hand, she would have fallen and twisted her ankle for sure by now. She was enveloped in the comforting smell of damp, slightly rotting wood and she could sense rain in the air. "We're here. Are you ready?" "I'm alive with anticipation." "Good. OK, here goes. Ta-da!" They were indeed in a forest, and it would have been pitch black, were it not for the flashlights Mulder had arranged in place of candles in the candlesticks. There was a blanket on the ground ("Good, I'm not going to end up with big damp patches on my ass," thought Scully), a bottle of champagne and two glasses. "It's beautiful, Mulder. And I'm grateful - really I am - but flashlights?" "I know. But they give out more light than candles, and they're safer. We wouldn't want to violate x number of regulations and start a forest fire now, would we? Besides, I think they're more appropriate for us." "You're right. Thank-you, Mulder." They sat down on the blanket, and prepared to spend the rest of the evening in each other's company. * * * * * "And that one's called Cassiopeia." As she explained the names of the constellations and the myths behind them, Scully rested her head on Mulder's shoulder. There was a brief pause, and Scully sighed. "This is why I became a scientist, you know." "What do you mean?" "The stars. As a child and a teenager I was fascinated by them. The ancient Greeks thought that after a noble life, or a noble deed, the reward would either be to live on Mount Olympus among the gods or to be turned into stars. I thought it was such a beautiful idea, that they would live there as a reminder to everyone else of the great deeds and people of the past. It made me feel safe and insignificant at the same time." "Do you still feel like that?" "I don't know. I guess I don't give much thought to things light-years away any more." Another brief pause. "Would you like some more champagne?" "Yes, please." As Mulder leant back again, he placed his arm gently around Scully's shoulders. Neither of them noticed. "You know, I'm surprised at you, Mulder." "Why's that?" "You're just so unpredictable. I would never have guessed you would do something like this even on my real birthday. It's very sweet." "Well, that's me. Full of surprises." "Thank-you," she murmured, and snuggled into his shoulder a bit more. * * * * * Scully could feel someone blowing gently on her face. "Mmmwhat?" "Scully, get up. It's raining. We should go and find some shelter, unless you want the added bonus of pneumonia for your birthday." "It's not my birthday, Mulder." By this time, Scully was fully awake. There was a light drizzle covering them and the air was heavy with the threat of thunder. As she sat up, Mulder rubbed the arm she had been lying on and sat up next to her. He went behind a tree and retrieved a basket into which he put the flashlights, candlestick, empty bottle and champagne glasses. Scully stood and folded the blanket. The thunder rolled around them like a moan. "We have to get out of this forest before lightning strikes." "The car's not far from here. Come on." Mulder put his arm around Scully and ducked down to huddle under the blanket she held above their heads. They ran through the trees as the rain began to pelt down much harder, holding onto each other. Eventually they saw the car and collapsed into it, giggling like teenagers on a first date. Mulder reached over and placed their picnic things on the back seat while Scully wrapped them both in the blanket. They both began to shiver and Scully's teeth began to chatter. Mulder rubbed Scully's arms in an attempt to keep her warm and then reached over her to turn the air conditioner on to heating. "I'm sorry, Scully." "Why?" "Tonight was supposed to be perfect. We'd start off with a fun game of baseball, I'd make witty and endearing comments, and you would be charmed when I whisked you away to a moonlit champagne picnic, where we would stargaze and I would refrain from making flippant remarks. We'd fall asleep together under the stars, and wake up together in the morning, slightly embarrassed but very pleased with ourselves." "Mulder, tonight was perfect. Everything went according to plan until now, and that was completely out of your control. If we'd stayed all night, we would have woken up stiff and cold, more than pleased with ourselves. Maybe it's better we didn't get to stay all night" "But still…" "How's this for a compromise? We go back to my apartment, I'll make some hot chocolate while you light a fire, we can look at the stars through the window and listen to the thunder. Sound like fun?" "It sounds perfect, Scully." And with a smile on his face, they drove into the night. FIN E-mail: Rapunzelinthetower@talk21.com "I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls With vassals and serfs at my side And of all who assembled within those walls That I was the hope and the pride. I had riches too great to count, could boast Of a high ancestral name, But I also dreamt, which pleased me most, That you loved me still the same."