From: Jada_Rene Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 00:47:51 GMT Subject: NEW: Silk Slip of the Tongue (1/2) Title: Silk Slip of the Tongue (1/2) Author: Jada Rene Feedback: JadaRene@yahoo.com Archive: Anywhere Rating: NC-17 Category: S, R Keywords: MSR, hotel-room sharing Summary: While on a small break from background checks, Mulder and Scully look into some equally boring IRS fraud but enjoy themselves nonetheless. Notes: Any and all comments will be appreciated at the above address! Disclaimer: The X-Files, Mulder, and Scully are property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and Fox. No infringement intended. Please do not sue me. *************************************** Silk Slip of the Tongue By Jada Rene JadaRene@yahoo.com Part 1/2 Danville County Recreation Lake 3:21 PM "It's about time," he stuttered, staggering forth, clutching his chest as if he was trying to keep it shut. Blood oozed out between his fingers and she realized that he was indeed trying to keep it shut. She pushed open the car door and he fell inside heavily. April put the car in gear and jolted away from the curb. "Tony, what happened?" she wanted to know. "You get shot?" "Yeah, April, of course, why the hell else would I be bleeding from the chest?" "Sorry." Her eyes widened in surprise. "Watch the road! Would you please just take me to the hospital?" "Yeah, Tony, sure," she looked straight ahead, wondering what she should say next. "Are you gonna die?" "Not unless you kill me with your lousy driving!" he muttered as she cruised through a stop sign. "Sorry," she said, glancing back at the sign, "but this is a life or death situation." "Fine, all right, whatever," he said, "Would you please just drive the damn car?" She nodded, preferring this time to keep her mouth shut. No wonder he'd been so cranky when he'd called her earlier. Blood was seeping through his shirt and pooling into a sick puddle on her vinyl seats. She grimaced, dreading the upholstery cleaning bill. She turned left into the hospital emergency lane. "Can you walk? The emergency room's just right there." "Yeah, yeah," he groaned with his hand on the door. "You get outta here and don't tell anybody you've seen me, got it?" "Yeah, sure," she whispered earnestly. The door fell shut under Tony's minimal effort and he stumbled through the open doors of County General. April drove away, not looking back, but not really seeing ahead either. She turned on the radio and sang in an unaware manner occasionally glancing at the stain in the passenger seat. She wondered who or what it was this time. She had no idea what Tony did for a living. He returned to her periodically, beat up, bruised or bleeding. She knew little about him; he could be married for all she knew. And that thought, along with many others, crossed her mind frequently. She had entertained the idea of the Mafia, but Tony was Scottish with thin brown hair and a leanness that could be none other. She turned into her garage and sent the automatic door down. She hummed as she retrieved her Bissell steam machine hand-held stain remover from the closet in the front hall. Plugging the cord into an outlet in the garage she began working on the stain. She would rather not have to the explain the stain to a professional cleaner... either kind. The stain had mostly disappeared after a half hour of work. She surveyed her handiwork, muttering to herself, "I can always say it was a chocolate shake." She emptied the vacuum and returned it to the closet. She went into the living room and plopped down before the television. Outside it was just beginning to snow; inside miscellaneous laughter erupted from the set. A pounding occurred at the front door. April's eyes flew open. It was dark. The TV show had melted into a rerun movie. The knocking came again. She jumped up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Tony leapt to mind so she ran to the door. Yanking it open she stared wide-eyed at the two figures on her doorstep. "April Dunaway?" the handsome man asked. His red-headed companion pivoted to face April. "Y-yes," April stammered, confused. The redhead spoke up, "We're agents Scully and Mulder with the FBI. We'd like to ask you a few questions. May we come in?" "Um, yeah," April consented, holding the door open wide. Agents Scully and Mulder entered the dark house and followed their hostess down the brief hall to the living room. April switched on a lamp and muted the volume on the television set. Scully and Mulder sat down on the couch opposite April's chosen rocking chair. "Ms. Dunaway, do you know a man named Stanley Lefton?" Scully asked. April scrunched her face up, evidently considering the question. She shook her head. "I don't think so," April returned at last. Agent Mulder handed her a photograph he had pulled from his coat pocket, saying, "Can you identify this man?" April squinted at the picture. "He looks kind of familiar..." Mulder and Scully exchanged a look. Mulder extracted two more photographs from his coat pocket. "Maybe these will jog your memory." April picked up the photos and saw herself with the man. A half-smirk spread over her face as recognition set in. "Oh, I know! It's Stan, Stan the man from the IRS. Yeah, he audited the diner about a year and a half ago." "The diner?" Mulder prompted. "Yeah," April smiled, returning the photographs. "I'm a waitress at the Six O'Clock Diner on Main Street." "How long have you worked there?" Scully asked. "Oh, I would have to say, oh, about six, no seven," April counted, "seven years now." Mulder and Scully exchanged the look again. Scully continued, "Ms. Dunaway, what is your relationship to Mr. Lefton?" April snorted. "Relationship? I wouldn't say there was any relationship." She screwed up her face and admitted in a tone just above a whisper, "I slept with the guy if that's what you're getting at, but I don't know that I had any relationship with him." "I see," Scully said. "I mean, he was only in town for a couple of days to do the audit," April sounded as if she were trying to justify her actions. "I can't believe I did that. Anyway, he never called me again and... Oh, my Lord, is he married? Is that what this is about? Oh, God, I'm a homewrecker!" "No, no," Mulder soothed her, his pleasant half-smile working its charm, "It's not anything like that. No. Your name appears on a joint bank account with the name Stanley Lefton. Do you have any idea why that might be?" April looked taken aback. "A bank account? Like, money? No, I barely knew the guy. Why would I open a bank account with him?" "Can you think of any reason why Mr. Lefton might want to use your name on this account if he has no relationship with you?" Scully jumped in. "No," April answered honestly, mystified. Mulder stood up and Scully followed his lead. He said, "Thank you, Ms. Dunaway, you've been very helpful." He handed her a business card, saying, "Please call if anything else comes to mind. Good night." April trailed them to the door, clutching the card. "I sure will. Good night." Mulder strode confidently to the car with Scully following briskly. "What was that?" she asked, opening the car door. "What was what?" Mulder replied, starting the car. Scully looked a little perturbed. "Whatever it was that compelled you to cut the interview so short." "I didn't think she could help us any more than she already had." He guided the car down the darkened avenue, torturing Scully with his half-smile. "She obviously doesn't know much of anything. Why would she lie? She didn't seem to be hedging or, or..." "Lying?" Scully suggested. "Well, yeah," he agreed. "Mulder," Scully said matter-of-factly, "the reason that a lie is successful is because it doesn't seem like a lie." Mulder sighed at her remark and said, "Tell you what, Scully, if that woman jumps the country with the missing IRS money, I owe you a Pepsi." Scully sat back against the seat, resigned. They turned a corner and Mulder pulled into the Danville Motorist Lodge, a small motel with maybe ten rooms. Scully leaned forward to observe the spastic neon sign and muttered, "So much for a four star hotel." The two agents approached the tiny front counter in the miniscule motel lobby. The desk clerk put down her magazine and got up to help them. "Two rooms, please," Mulder said, filling out the guest registry. "One room," the clerk said. "No, two, two rooms," Mulder said, holding up two fingers. "No," the clerk insisted, "One room. It's all we got left. Sorry. Take it or leave it." Mulder leaned toward Scully confidentially and in low tones said, "Do you want to go to another hotel?" The clerk's laughter interrupted them. "Sir, this is Danville. This is the hotel, the only hotel. We don't even have a motor court. So do you want the room or not?" Mulder looked at Scully sheepishly. She raised her eyebrows at him but nodded her approval just the same. Mulder smiled and completed the form. The clerk slapped the key on the counter. "Room ten. It's the last one. All the way at the end." "Thank you," Mulder said, accepting the key. "Don't forget to try our complementary breakfast including free coffee, danish, and bagels. I hope you have a pleasant stay here at the Danville Motorist Lodge," the clerk rattled off without looking at them and for added effect, snapped her bubblegum at the end of the statement. "Enjoy your visit." "Yeah," Mulder breathed, exiting the lobby. They got back in the car and drove it the additional few yards to the end of the complex. A few droplets spattered against the windshield. "Hey, it's starting to rain." Scully rolled her eyes, pushing open her car door. "Pop the trunk, will you?" They collected their luggage and opened the door to the tiny room to reveal brown shag carpeting and only one double bed. "That's okay," Mulder answered Scully's unasked question. "This armchair with the, what is that?-yogurt stain? on it, looks very comfortable." Scully dropped her bag on the bed. Mulder added under his breath, examining the stain more closely, "Semen stain-" "What?" Scully asked. "Nothing," Mulder responded. "Just hand me that extra blanket, would you? Thanks." Scully changed to pajamas momentarily and when she returned from the bathroom, Mulder was sitting on the bed mesmerized by the TV. He pointed with the remote control saying, "The TV is bolted to the dresser and I can't quite see it from where the armchair is bolted to the floor." "Ah," Scully said, peeling back the covers and climbing into bed. "You don't mind, do you?" he asked. "Huh-uh," she mumbled through a yawn. Mulder began flipping through the channels so Scully asked him, "What do you think about April? Do you honestly think she had no idea about the bank account?" "Why would she lie, Scully? Besides, would she be working at a diner still if she had access to that kind of cash?" "I don't know," Scully considered, "but people do strange things sometimes." "Like what?" he was still more engrossed in the spinning channels. "Like suppose the affair between Lefton and Dunaway wasn't as brief as she claimed." "Meaning what? That they were still having an affair all this time? In this little town?" Mulder finally stopped on a news program. "She must be about ten or fifteen years younger than Stan Lefton." "So?" Scully interjected. "Men have affairs with younger women all the time." "They had nothing in common." "And you think that all men are looking for a women who, rather than having a hot body, have a hot mind?" Scully questioned with obvious doubt. "No," Mulder smiled at her as if she were being an obstinate child. "I'm just saying that after a year and a half of having nothing upstairs to converse with, I think he would have lost interest, that's all. She doesn't have that great of a body." "We're not discussing her body," Scully objected. "You brought it up," he informed her. She gave him a look which compelled him to move the conversation elsewhere. "Anyway, so what do you think it was then?" "I think they were having an affair, they planned to run away together and she was just biding her time, working at the diner as a cover so no one would get suspicious, until the time that Stan gave her the word and they jumped on a plane to...to..." "Tahiti?" Mulder supplied. "Sure," Scully agreed. She rolled onto her side to face him. "My point is that people do strange things for love. It happens all the time." Mulder was staring intently at her. "Strange things for love?" Her voice dropped to match his tone and she reaffirmed her statement, "All the time." "And you think what?" Mulder leaned closer to her. "That one day Stan was at the diner having a burger and a chocolate shake he fell in love with this waitress? That he reached for the ketchup bottle just as she was about to refill it and their hands touched." Mulder grasped Scully's fingers suddenly, catching her off guard. He continued, "And then he pulled her to himself and-" Mulder's lips touched Scully's for an instant; Scully's heart pounded in her chest. It felt soft and warm and... Scully sat up, pulling away. "It's been a long day, Mulder." Mulder looked toward the window. He situated himself in the wretched armchair as Scully snapped off the light and the TV. He covered himself with the polyester blanket. "Goodnight, Scully." Her voice sounded barely over a whisper, "Goodnight, Mulder." ** Dunaway Residence 9:02 AM The phone rang, startling April. She answered groggily, "Hello?" The voice on the other end said, "This is Phil with County General Hospital. I'm afraid I have some bad news about your husband Anthony." "Husband?" April was wide awake and her mouth felt unnaturally dry. "Yes, you are the woman of the house, aren't you?" "Yes." "We got your phone number and address off of your husband's driver's license," Phil continued. "He was brought here late yesterday. Would it be possible for you to come down here?" "Yes, of course. I'll be right there." April hung up the phone and ran around getting dressed. Poor Tony! She never should have left his side, she decided. She vowed that if he was alive, she never would again. ** Danville Motorists Lodge 9:15 AM "Morning, sleepyhead. Complementary bagel?" Mulder set two cups of coffee on the nightstand. Scully opened her eyes and immediately squinted at the sunlight streaming through the window's flimsy curtains. "What time is it?" she wanted to know. "Around nine. I'm going to go get a newspaper; you want anything?" he offered. Scully shook her, sitting up. "No thanks." Mulder left her alone. Scully got herself ready and then pulled out her laptop to check her email. When Mulder finally returned Scully had news for him. "You're not going to believe this," she began. "What?" "You know the guy, Stan Lefton?" "Not personally, why?" Scully ignored him and announced, "He's dead." Mulder dutifully looked surprised. "Now what?" "Well, according to the email I received this morning, the body was found in the trunk of a stolen car late last night." "Okay," Mulder drew in a long breath. "And?" "And there was only one other set of fingerprints on the car aside from the owner and Mr. Lefton." "Yeah," Mulder prompted. "They belong to a man named Anthony McBride, an illegal immigrant who has been in trouble for petty crimes several times over the past two years." "Shall we pay Mr. McBride a visit?" "Therein lies the twist." "What do you mean?" Mulder asked, taking a sip of his coffee. He made a face indicating that the quality of the coffee was not to his liking. "The address listed for Mr. McBride is the same as that of April Dunaway." Scully let her remark work its magic on Mulder for a moment. Then she said, "I think you owe me a Pepsi." They drove back to April's home and stood on the porch ringing the doorbell. There was no answer, so Mulder decided to check the back yard to be sure no one was there. Scully remained on the porch until he returned. "Nothing?" she asked. He shook his head. Scully met him at the car, asking, "Now what?" "You hungry?" he asked. "I was thinking we could go to the Six O'Clock Diner on Main Street. Pay Ms. Dunaway a visit at work." Scully got into the car and fastened her seatbelt. "Good idea." ** Danville County General Hospital 10:13 AM "We're very sorry, Mrs. McBride," Phil of County General said, addressing April. "Your husband was brought in with a gunshot wound to the chest. We did everything we could, but he didn't survive." "Oh, God." April's eyes filled with desperate tears. She sat in the hard plastic chair feeling cold all over. "We're obligated to ask you to fill out some paperwork. After that, we'll give you his things." Phil pulled a large plastic bag out of a locked cabinet and set it on the desk. April picked up a pen and began sobbing uncontrollably. Phil turned toward the window; this was the worst part of the job. ** Six O'Clock Diner, Main Street 11:15 AM A fat middle-aged man plunked two glasses of water down on the table before Mulder and Scully. Scully folded her menu to better examine the unidentifiable object floating in her water glass. "You folks ready to order?" "Yeah," Mulder said. "I'll have a cheeseburger with everything, fries, and a chocolate shake." Scully looked up at the fat man and smiled. "Same." "Same?" Mulder looked surprised. The fat man collected the menus and was about to walk away when Mulder recovered himself and said, "Sir?" The guy turned around. "Does a woman named April Dunaway work here?" "Yeah, but she didn't show up this morning. Why?" "Just curious," Mulder replied. "Thank you." The man continued on to the kitchen. Mulder looked at Scully who wore a complacent I-told-you-so expression. "It doesn't mean anything," Mulder said. "Oh, come on!" Scully insisted. "Isn't it obvious, Mulder? This girl April is a waitress. She meets Stan and has the affair. They plan to run off with the stolen money, but then April falls in love with someone closer to her own age. She gets her boyfriend to off Stan so that she and her new beau can take the money and run." Mulder was nodding that her theory made sense, but he still said, "I don't buy it." "Why not, Mulder?" she wondered. "It makes perfect sense." "Because nothing is perfect, Scully." That remark silenced her for the time being and she remained quiet until their food arrived. She reached for the ketchup bottle just as Mulder was doing the same. Their fingers bumped and they looked up at each other in surprise. Mulder cocked his head at her, invoking a recollection of the previous night's conversation. Scully pulled her hand away and looked down at her plate. Mulder scooted the ketchup bottle to her and leaned forward confidentially. "Kismet, Scully." The sound of a ringing phone interrupted them. They both searched for their cellular phones; Mulder found his and pressed the button, muttering, "It's mine." Scully dropped her cell phone back into her coat pocket. She popped a french fry into her mouth and chewed quietly, trying to read Mulder's face. He ended the call and put away his phone. "You know the suspect, Anthony McBride?" Taking a huge bite of his hamburger he waited for her reply. "Yes." Mulder swallowed. "He's dead." Scully raised her eyebrows, sending another french fry into her mouth. Mulder returned the look and they finished their meal quietly, each absorbed in separate thoughts. Continued in part 2 Silk Slip of the Tongue JadaRene@yahoo.com Part 2/2 ** Dunaway Residence 2:09 PM Scully felt a distinct chill of dj vu snake over her as she and Mulder climbed the steps to April's porch after lunch. They stood out in the cold air ringing the doorbell. Mirroring that morning, there was no answer and no one appeared to be in or about the house. The two agents walked back to the car. Mulder paused to survey the neighborhood briefly. "I don't know, Scully," he responded to her question before she formulated it. "I still don't think she left the country." "Tahiti is looking mighty warm this time of year," Scully said. "Maybe we should post her picture at the local airport just to make sure." "We could," Mulder said thoughtfully, "but I still don't believe it. I think she's somewhere close by with no plans to go anywhere but home." "What are you thinking?" "I'm thinking that she just found out that one or more of her boyfriends are dead. She's probably sad and alone." "You think she went to her mom's house?" Scully offered doubtfully. "I think she went to a bar." "And now what?" Scully wondered aloud. "You want to go knock back a few at the local bars?" "There are only three in the phone book; I checked last night." Scully didn't even bother to question Mulder as to why he had looked for bars in the phone book the previous night. Instead she considered her options. Mulder's hunches were usually correct. She threw caution to the wind and said, "Sure, why not?" ** Blue Moon Saloon 7:02 PM The bar was crowded, noisy, and smoke-filled. Mulder shouted above the din, "You grab that table in the back." Scully waded through the mass of people to a dirty table in the corner. A waitress approached and said something that could only be an inquiry for a drink order. "Iced Tea," Scully requested. The waitress leaned forward with her hand on her ear, indicating that she hadn't heard. Scully raised her voice, "Iced tea!" The waitress nodded and made the OK symbol with her fingers, departing. Mulder sat down beside her and leaned close to her ear. "The bartender says this is April's favorite bar. She usually shows up at around seven, so hopefully she'll make an appearance tonight." She nodded, shrugging out of her coat. "Damn, it's hot in here." The waitress appeared with the iced tea and Scully drank half of her glass in one long gulp. Mulder picked up his glass and took a swallow, looking around. "This is the last bar on the list." "Then do you want to try the airport?" Scully asked. Mulder looked at her blankly; he had obviously not been able to hear her. He leaned toward her and opened his mouth. "Okay," he smiled. "If she isn't here after an hour we'll leave." Scully only heard a few of his words so she smiled and took another drink of her tea. "Mm, its sweet." She took another drink and finished the glass. The waitress returned as if by magic and shouted, "You want another?" Scully nodded. Mulder had a funny look on his face as he sipped his beverage. It took mere seconds for the waitress to produce Scully's tea. It easily slid down her throat as she searched the scene for April Dunaway. She finished off the second drink. Mulder gave her a look. "Scully," he began in a sing-song voice, "What did you order for us?" "Iced tea," she replied. "Why?" "Iced tea." Mulder's lips betrayed a smirk. He shook his head with a little laugh. "What's so funny?" she wanted to know. "Scully," he said as his smile broadened, "I think the waitress misunderstood you. I think this is Long Island Iced Tea." Scully looked at her glass in disbelief. She looked at Mulder. She looked at the glass again. It was a tennis match between the glass and his face. He, of course, was grinning broadly. "I don't know what you have in mind for tonight, Scully," he said, "but you don't have to liquor me up." ** Danville Motorists Lodge 8:05 PM "I think I'm going to take a shower," Scully announced. "If you don't mind." Mulder shook his head, throwing the keys onto the dresser. "Go ahead." Scully disappeared into the bathroom. Raindrops pattered against the window pane catching Mulder's attention. Scully's bare back appeared in the doorway as she leaned out to snatch a small bottle off the vanity. Mulder's mouth dropped open as he caught a glimpse of her breasts in the mirror. The bathroom door shut again and Mulder was left alone with his unpartnerly thoughts. Something wet plopped down on his shoulder. Mulder looked up and realized that the front door was leaking and making a considerable mess. He stepped out of the way. Spying a white square of material that could only be a towel in Scully's suitcase, he grabbed it and mopped up the door, stuffing the soft fabric into the offending crack in the door jamb. He looked more closely at the white cloth. He snapped on the light to better examine it just as Scully emerged from the bathroom in her robe. "Mulder, what are you doing?" Her face wore a look of suspicion. "Nothing, Scully, I-there was a leak, so I was just-" Scully gasped as she saw the white material hanging pitifully over the door. "Just ruining my new silk pajamas?" Mulder turned back toward the door so that Scully wouldn't observe his merriment. He faced her with a stone-cold look of sorrow. "Scully, I'm sorry. I thought it was a towel-" "A silk towel?" "Or a slip..." "Yeah, a Freudian slip." She mumbled the words, but they still came out loud and clear. She blushed suddenly at her own implication. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." Mulder dug into his own suitcase and pulled out a white t-shirt. "I'm sorry, Scully. I didn't mean to ruin your new pajamas." He held out the t-shirt as a peace offering. "I know its not silk, but its one of my favorites, so I'd like you to have it." She hesitated. "Well, I guess so. I don't have anything else to sleep in." Mulder immediately regretted his offer of clothing when he heard that remark. She took the t-shirt and retreated to the bathroom again. Mulder stripped down to his undershirt and boxers as he had the previous night and climbed into the bed to watch TV. Suddenly Scully was before him, wet red locks licking her cheeks and neck, slender legs exposed from the hem of his t-shirt. He abandoned the TV. She got into bed beside him and laid her head on the pillow. "Scully, I've been thinking," he began, turning off the television. "About the case?" she murmured, eyes shut. "Sort of. It's about something you said yesterday." "Mm?" He watched longingly as she stretched luxuriously and rolled onto her back. "About how sometimes people do strange things." He leaned closer to her, pulling a moist curl away from her forehead. "Scully?" he whispered. There was no response. Her chest rose and fell in a soft, steady manner indicating that she had already fallen asleep. He smiled at his own bad timing. "Goodnight, Scully." "Oh, oh, oh, mm, yeah," a woman's voice moaned. Mulder's eyes snapped open. The voice moaned desirably. Mulder was distinctly aware of Scully's body draped upon him, but it was not her voice. From the adjacent room the voice continued and a thumping began on the wall. Mulder smiled, wanting to laugh out loud. Scully was awakened by the same friendly couple to find herself entangled in Mulder's appendages. She raised her head to comment on their neighbors' passion just as Mulder moved to make a similar remark. Their noses bumped and their lips met. The moment lingered as they remained not moving, not breathing with their lips soft against one another's. Scully felt something against her upper thigh just as the thumping reached a new frenzy. Softly but suddenly Mulder leaned into the kiss, pressing his lips more firmly against Scully's. She kissed him back slowly, pointedly, parting her lips and sliding her tongue into the warm cavern of his mouth. He responded by pulling her closer, pressing his body against hers. Her flesh felt smooth and supple under his touch as he traced slow circles over her frame. He hesitated slightly when his fingertips approached her pert breast, unsure of her reaction, afraid to offend her and at the same time, petrified of losing the moment. His hand lingered, uncertain, at the tender slope of her breast. Then Scully unexpectedly leaned forward into his fingers and plunged her tongue more deeply into his mouth. Scully exhaled a seductive moan; for Mulder the sound was an agonizing tease. He pushed his hand up under the t-shirt she wore and pulled it over her head. She sank back naked against the pillow, moonlight glowing on her skin. He shed his clothes immediately, fearing that the moment would evaporate. He gathered her to himself kissing her again, caressing her, bringing his fingers up gently between her thighs. "You're not wearing any panties!" he discovered in a whisper. He looked at her sweet face as she smiled coquettishly at him. "Neither are you." She pulled him down on her, squashing her breasts against his chest. His erection found new strength between her legs as the tip lapped against her. He wanted to; he wanted her. Scully tingled all over as she brought her hips up to meet him. She felt warm and moist and the second he slipped inside her she moaned gratefully. It felt good; he felt good. He leaned down, kissing her mouth, thrusting inside her with gentle insistence. She rocked her hips against him, loving the sensations he bestowed, it felt both so wrong and so, so right in the same moment. She wanted it; she wanted him. He pushed inside her; she was so warm. Scully opened her mouth and moaned in his ear. Her hot breath sizzled on his neck as he slid in and out, deeper and deeper-she was moaning his name. "Oh, Mulder," she panted, pressing herself against his every thrust. "Oh, Mulder... Mulder, oh, oh, oh.." The last sound echoed in him as she wriggled beneath him and he could no longer contain himself. He thrust inside her, once, twice more- He groaned, feeling absolute release as he came inside her. He hugged her tightly, seized inside her. He paused, then relented, collapsing against her. She held him, breathless, ecstatic from the moment. Two hot tears boiled in her eyes and then slid down her cheeks. He slowly became aware of her again and slid away, studying her face with boyish concern. "Scully," he whispered huskily, "did I hurt you?" She smiled the soft smile reserved only for him and whispered back, "No, Mulder. You made me feel very, very good." She slid up against him and they laid together in the darkness, just breathing, welcoming the new flood of emotions. They were overwhelmed; Mulder and Scully tumbled into slumber together. This night would belong to them always and neither of them wanted to let go. ** Dunaway Residence 7:30 AM April opened the plastic bag containing Tony's possessions. Inside she found his wallet with the curious driver's license listing his home address as hers, a cheap digital watch, a beat-up pocket knife, and a large manila envelope. Curious, she freed the contents. She stared as the pages slid out one after another into a neat pile. She tried to make sense of it, but it appeared to be column after column of numbers with some headings and small remarks. It was meaningless to her so she stuffed it all back into the envelope. No address appeared on the outside so April concluded that it belonged to her now. She tossed it onto the coffee table and turned her attention back to the TV. The local news was showing a picture of her car outside the emergency room at County General. She turned up the volume but was too late to hear the remainder of the story. Puzzled she went to go get dressed for work. ** Danville Motorists Lodge 7:41 AM Scully awakened slowly; she felt warm and sticky. Her eyes focused on Mulder's naked body. She sat up suddenly, wrenching her body away from his and regretting it as their flesh stuck together. That woke him up, too. "Mm, Scully..." his eyes opened and widened at the sight of her bare bosom. "Wow, so that wasn't just another dream." She laid back against the pillow and closed her eyes. She remembered every detail from their middle-of-the-night encounter. She'd slept with him; and not just slept with him. "Scully?" his voice came playfully. "Yes?" she responded. She opened her eyes in time to see him lean to her and kiss her softly on the lips. Mulder kissing her lips. Her heart was thudding so loud she thought he must hear it. "I think I love you." Scully took a deep breath. "Did we--?" "You don't remember?" he seemed hurt. "No, I remember." She sighed deliciously, remembering. "I just thought maybe I was dreaming." "Well," he nuzzled against her neck, "I would be happy to jog your memory." She brought her lips to his just as the telephone rang. "Coincidence," Mulder asked, "or diabolical scheme?" She smiled at him and rolled over, saying, "I'll get it." She picked up the receiver and said hello. Mulder began tracing a pattern on the small of her back that made her shiver in delight. She stopped wriggling as she listened to the caller. At last she hung up the phone and without looking at Mulder she began talking. "County General has parking lot surveillance." She sighed, willing herself not to roll over and make love to him. "So?" He continued to kiss her neck blissfully. "The camera caught April's car, her license plates, and her face in the driver's seat dropping Anthony McBride off just before he died." "Shit," said Mulder, disengaging himself from Scully. "They've got her on at least aiding and abetting, if not as an accomplice. Damn." Scully nodded at him. "You definitely owe me a Pepsi." He smiled, grasping her hips and pulling her toward him. "Come on, Scully, lets go take a hot, steamy shower." "Kersh wants us at the Dunaway house in the next thirty minutes to arrest her before this thing gets major media attention," Scully informed him, despite his soft caresses and inviting hard-on. "Then I'll be quick." Mulder kissed her again. Scully slid back onto the sheets with a giggle. "Make it worthwhile." "Every time," he promised. She smiled contentedly and arched her back. ** Hot, steamy shower 8:01 AM "Scully, did I ever tell you that you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in the shower?" ** Dunaway Residence 8:22 AM Scully steeled herself and rang the doorbell. The front door swung open and April stood there, pinning up her hair. "Come on in," she offered. Mulder and Scully entered the dwelling. April shut the door behind them and wandered into the kitchen. "Coffee?" "No, thank you," Mulder said. "Ms. Dunaway, what is your relationship with Anthony McBride?" She looked surprised, but answered dumbly, "He's my boyfriend...or at least, he was." "Was he living with you?" Scully asked. "No." April wiped her eyes. "No, but he said he was. So he could get jobs." Mulder looked away. His gaze fell on the coffee table, on the envelope. But Scully had seen it first and was already opening it. Scully looked up at him. "It's the missing IRS documents." Mulder took a deep breath. "Ms. Dunaway, how did you come to be in possession of these documents?" "They were Tony's." Mulder scrunched up his face, regretting the words he was about to say. "I'm afraid we have to take you into custody given the substantial evidence against you." "You're arresting me?" she was appalled. Scully began to read the woman her rights as they led her out of the house. To avoid attention and because April was so cooperative, they simply took her out to the car without handcuffs or measures of force. The girl marched along seemingly in shock. Scully gave Mulder a look just before climbing into the backseat with April. ** Danville County Sheriff's Office 10:13 AM "Yes, sir," Scully repeated into her phone, covering her other ear with her free hand. "Yes, I'll tell him. Thank you, sir." She walked out onto the steps of the Sheriff's Office to join Mulder. "That was Kersh." "Oh, yeah?" Mulder was chucking sunflower shells into a nearby planter. "What did he want?" "Now that we've made this arrest, he wants us back immediately to continue background checks." "Mm," Mulder cracked a seed in his mouth. "Anything else?" "He said it was about time." Mulder smiled. "It was." "What?" Scully squinted, shading her eyes. "It was about time." Mulder took her small hand and laced his fingers through hers, leading her down to the car. "It was about time we got together." He pressed her up against the car door and kissed her briefly. "Don't I have the best ideas?" Scully raised her eyebrows at him. "Your ideas?" He raised his eyebrows right back at her. Scully shook her head. "Get in the car, Mulder." End.