From: "J. Nelson" Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 05:57:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Submission: Refreshed and Revitalized TITLE: Refreshed and Revitalized AUTHOR: J. Nelson E-MAIL ADDRESS: blackleyj@yahoo.com ARCHIVE: I have sent this to Gossamer myself. Yes to Exemplary. For the remainder, I would be honoured, but I don't have my hopes up. If you choose to enrich this woman's life, please let me know so that my mother may visit. SPOILERS: Arcadia, One Son and Tithonus, Fight the Future RATING: G CLASSIFICATION: V, A, slight UST SUMMARY: Scully ponders the purported healing effects of facial masks. FEEDBACK: Please feel free to comment. I adore receiving e-mails. COMMENTS: I wanted to do light and fluffy but it came out kind of angsty. I'd like to think that the damage done in One Son is reversible and I'm hoping Carter proves that. But in the meantime, here's my take. DISCLAIMER: The characters of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully belong to FOX and Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. No monetary gain is being made from this piece. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. "Apply mask in a thin layer to face, avoiding the eye area. Leave mask on for 5 to 10 minutes or until dry, and remove with warm water." Dana Scully removed the top of the jar, and liberally smeared the green goo across her forehead. As she pushed the gunk down toward her cheek, she eyed the tube of toothpaste on the counter. Its top was off, and green and white stripes of the gel oozed out onto the ceramic tiles. Scully sighed and murmured "I wonder if the real Laura Petrie had to put up with this from Rob?". She finished applying the mask to her face, and rinsed her hands under the warm running water. As she reached for the towel to dry her hands, she heard Mulder's voice from the bedroom. "Yeah, there's no sign of him in his house. I didn't see him in the storm drain, either. I take it he's dead, Scully." Mulder called out. Scully scowled and yelled "Laura". If he insisted on tripping over the ottoman as he walked in the door, then she was going to insist that it be she who lovingly watched him land on his backside. She placed the lid back on the jar of the green goop, and screwed it on tightly. Freeman's Botanical Avocado Oatmeal mask. 'Tightens pores leaving skin feeling refreshed and revitalized'. "If only it were as easy as that" Scully mused as she straightened the towels. She reached over and replaced the cap on the toothpaste, silently cursing Mulder's lack of bathroom hygiene. If she could just feel refreshed and revitalized. If only it would take a facial mask to wipe away feelings of listlessness and regret. "Scully, you're making this personal". Mulder had growled at her. "Because it is personal, Mulder." She had quickly retorted, the shock and hurt of his careless words evident in her voice. "Because, without the FBI, personal interest is all that I have. And you take that away then there is no reason for me to continue." She had walked away from him then, but not from their quest. Words childishly bandied about in anger; deep-seated issues of trust vented in frustration. They hadn't spoken of it since; the long car ride to the Falls at Arcadia had been spent in chilly silence. An assignment personally reserved for them by Skinner, seemingly in an attempt to bring them back together. A fake marriage that appeared to mirror a fake partnership. Scully returned her thoughts to the conversation at hand, and replied, "Win Schroeder". Mulder held up the evidence bag, eyeing the handkerchief and said "Mmm, maybe Win cleaning up." "You could obviously learn a great deal from Mr. Schroeder's ability to clean house, Rob", Scully mouthed. Yet, she was curious as to the direction of Mulder's thoughts on Schroeder's impromptu spring-cleaning. "Cleaning up for who?", she queried. Mulder answered "I don't know". Scully tightened the taps, and closed the medicine cabinet door. She wiped down the vanity and straightened the toothbrushes. She eyed the tube of toothpaste again, and groaned in annoyance. Was perky Laura Petrie's life full of mundane aggravations such as she was experiencing? How could she look so wonderful in her Capri pants when all about her were goop and gunk and squeezed from the top tubes of toothpaste? She picked up the offending tube and stuck her arm out the bathroom door. "Mulder, speaking of cleaning up, whoever taught you how to squeeze a tube of toothpaste?" There was no reply from the bedroom, only the quiet hissing of the air conditioner. "Hey what do we know about this stuff?" Mulder asked. "I'm driving down to San Diego tomorrow and have it analyzed." Scully replied. "All right" Mulder responded. Scully tightened the sash on her robe and leaned toward the vanity mirror. She tentatively touched her nose, then her cheek checking to see if the mask had dried. It was still moist and she turned toward the shower, noting that Mulder had left the shower curtain open. As she pulled it toward the wall, she caught sight of the toilet. Scully had seen this before, this inability to have an accurate aim coupled with a lack of respect for the female members of the house. She groaned in disgust, and silently speculated if Rob had displayed this predilection of male washroom habits, and contemplated the fact that maybe Laura had strategically placed the ottoman directly in Rob's path. "Third warning." Scully snapped and slammed the toilet seat lid down. "Better be careful coming through the front door tomorrow, Mulder. If there's an ottoman, I'd watch your step," Scully grumbled. Mulder casually glanced at the bathroom and then sauntered over to the bed. He sprawled his lanky frame over the bedspread and impassively awaited his partner's departure from the bathroom. Scully stole one more look into the mirror and adjusted her hair band. She took one last look around, and decided the bathroom was up to her standard and switched off the light. As she entered the bedroom, she asked Mulder "Why kill Big Mike?" Mulder turned toward the sound of her voice, and in mid-leer grimaced and cried out in dismay "Whoa". Scully picked up Mulder's sweatshirt and strode toward the bed, coolly ignoring his reaction to her beauty regime. "What's missing here is intent. What would be the motive?" She balled up the shirt, took careful aim toward Mulder's head, and hit her target. Mulder snapped his head back and quickly threw the shirt to the side of the bed. He carefully took in the vision before him, and smiled, mildly amused that Scully was not hesitant to bare her casual side. "Compulsive neatness, or a lack thereof. Have you noticed how everybody around here is obsessed with the neighborhood rules and the CC&Rs?" He paused, and eyed Scully. "You know what? You fit in really well here." Mulder cast the last sentence out, hoping Scully would snap up the bait, and he could reel her in. Scully knowingly ignored Mulder's taunt, glared at him and pointedly replied "And you don't." Mulder rolled onto his side and fluffed up the pillows, deciding to make himself more comfortable. "Well, anyway, tomorrow I got a, uh, a surefire way of testing out my theory." Scully raised her eyebrow at him, hoping her trademark scowl would hasten him to the couch. Mulder eyed Scully's murderous glare and sweetly urged "Come on, Laura, you know... we're married now." "Scully, Mulder. Good night." Her crisp tone conveyed the message that his attempts at seduction were over. Mulder reluctantly pulled himself up and grabbed a pillow from the bed. As he brushed by Scully, he petulantly replied "The thrill is gone." Scully sighed and waited until she heard him pad down the stairs. She walked toward the bed, straightened the spread, and rearranged the remaining pillows. He was a child at times, an endearing child, but this was neither the time nor the place for his antics. The distraction was a relief though, and it took her mind off their recent confrontation. Her hand brushed against her cheek as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She discovered the mask had dried and turned back toward the bathroom. As she waited for the water to warm up, she peered into the mirror and realized she didn't recognize the image reflected back. As the mask had dried, it had pulled her face taut, distorting her features. Much like their relationship of late; tense and distorted. With the X-Files gone and their specialized abilities relegated to desk duty and background checks, Mulder had grown increasingly restless and distracted. Scully had tried to make the best of the situation, accompanying Mulder on side trips to pursue the truth. They had both been severely reprimanded by A.D. Kersch, which couldn't stop Mulder, yet surprisingly spurred Scully on to directly disobey her superior. Her jaunt to the Big Apple had separated them, almost for good that time, but she had recovered from her injury, prepared to continue their alliance. It had ceased being Mulder's truth years earlier, it was now a joint effort to uncloak the deception. "Scully, you're making this personal". She thought back to their exchange, and shuddered. Maybe Mulder's upbringing allowed him to vacillate between good and bad. Bill Mulder certainly hadn't been the best example for an impressionable boy. As Mulder had uncovered more and more of the subterfuge, he had grown to realize how involved his father had been, and then how deep his involvement was in Samantha Mulder's abduction. This saddened Scully, who had been raised with steadfast morals and principles and couldn't fathom living a life of injustice and deceit. She reached for the jar of Avocado Oatmeal mask, absently reading the instructions again. "Tightens pores leaving skin feeling refreshed and revitalized". She placed the jar back down on the vanity and cupped her hands under the warm running water, repeatedly rinsing the green goop off her face. Eventually the water ran clear and Scully blindly reached for the hand towel. As she patted her face dry, she looked into the mirror and gazed at her reflection. Her skin glowed, and she felt the dull ache of lassitude slowly recede. "Refreshed and revitalized". Maybe it could work for her relationship with Mulder. She chuckled thinking how her decidedly male partner would react to a proposal of mutual facials. Then again, he'd probably welcome the opportunity to reply with a patented innuendo. She continued to scrutinize her image and observed the tiny lines around her eyes and mouth. They weren't as pronounced as they had seemed earlier which caused her to wonder if the advertising and hype of women's skin care had a ring of truth about it. If the avocado oatmeal mask was able to smooth out the inevitable signs of aging on Scully's face, then it might seem possible for Scully and Mulder to slow the erosion of their union, maybe even reverse the visible signs of decay. Scully pondered this thought wistfully, and hung the hand towel up to dry. She gave the bathroom a quick glance, and turned off the light. As she exited the bathroom she ran right into Mulder's chest, and let out a small cry. "Mulder, what are you doing here? I didn't even hear you!" She quickly realized her hands were on his chest, and she lowered them. Mulder grinned and replied "Needed a glass of water. Do you mind?" He had surprised her and she wasn't sure what game he had come to play, or if he was hoping to continue his earlier strategy of seduction. "Mulder, it's late. Couldn't you have gone to the kitchen?" Mulder cupped her right cheek tenderly and leaned forward, his breath hot and moist on her lips, causing her to jump back nervously. "Mulder, what are you doing" she squeaked. There was no reply, just excruciating silence as she nervously anticipated his lips on hers, as he gently stroked her cheek and ran his thumb along her jaw. She turned her lips toward his and hesitantly leaned toward him. Just as she was certain Mulder would kiss her, he pulled away and placed his thumb in her line of vision. "You had some of that green goop just below your ear Scully. Wouldn't want to go to sleep and have it harden into cement, now would you?" Mulder smiled as he ran his left hand down her right arm. Scully sighed, vague thoughts of darkened hallways and bees buzzing through her head. "No, I wouldn't Mulder. Thanks." Mulder turned and walked out to the landing and strolled down the stairs. He turned and softly called out "Goodnight avocado face." He smiled and continued his descent. Scully smiled and replied "Goodnight Mulder." She watched him reach the main floor, he turned and waved, and she smiled again. Perhaps their commitment toward the truth and all that went with it could be refreshed and revitalized. She made her way to the bed and silently dictated the letter she planned to send to the cosmetic company. "Dear Sirs: I would like to thank you for your wonderful Avocado Oatmeal mask. It has lived up to your claims of refreshment and revitalization. As an avid consumer of your product, I would like to advise your firm the mask accomplished much more than refreshing and revitalizing my skin. Were you aware that your Avocado Oatmeal mask also refreshes and revitalizes tired and demoralized relationships? I have the evidence to support this claim. Therefore, if you would care to discuss my proposal outlining broader usage of your fine product, I would be more than happy to meet with you. Please feel free to contact me at the above noted address. Sincerely, Dana K. Scully, M.D." === J. Nelson