From: Jessica Beth Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 22:45:41 -0800 (PST) Subject: "A Simple Question" by Jessica Beth Source: direct "A Simple Question" by: Jessica Beth http://smashed-peaches.net/truelove jezziebeth@yahoo.com Rating: G Category: Post episode for Small Potatoes; MSR; Mulder POV Spoilers: Small Potatoes Summary: 'Come on Scully, it's a simple question that requires a yes or no answer. Don't make this difficult.' Feedback: Would be loved - jezziebeth@yahoo.com Website: http://smashed-peaches.net/truelove Disclaimer: "The X-Files" belongs to Chris Carter, that almightly Surfer Dude, 1013 Productions and 20th Century Fox. I'm just borrowing them and promise to return them soon. Author's Notes: What happens when you watch "Small Potatoes" during Sci-Fi's Viewer's Choice Marathon? You come up with a fanfic. Dedication: Kim, you silly rabbit. Thanks for all the funny conversations we have late at night. ~~~~~~ The police left Scully's apartment about twenty minutes ago with Eddie Van Blundht in handcuffs. They left laughing at her story thought. When asked what Eddie had done, she simply shook her head and said he needed to be locked up in a jail cell and to be put on muscle relaxations. "He's a very dangerous man," she added as she left her living room and disappeared into her bedroom. I still don't know exactly happened. All I know is that whatever was going on was about to end with the classic birds and the bees story. Thankfully, I had gotten there just in time before Eddie could add another monkey baby to his family of five. Sitting on her couch, I notice the scene. The fireplace lit, her books scattered all over the coffee table and an empty bottle of wine with two wine glasses beside it. Yep, Eddie was trying to seduce her. But he was trying to accomplish this as me. Scully walks out of her bedroom, still in the same clothing. "Have they left?" she asks me. I nod my head as she makes her way towards the table, not looking at me. She's not looked at me since I barged into her apartment before she was going to kiss Eddie as me. Taking the two wine glasses and the wine bottle, she goes towards the kitchen. I'll admit that I'm....shocked. It's not every day you walk in and see yourself about kiss your partner of four years. Yes, I've imagined what kissing Scully would be like, but I never thought she would let me try it. Maybe she wants to kiss me? Maybe she wonders what it would be like kiss me? Or was the wine that affected her judgment? The wine. It has to be the wine. But it's killing me. It's killing me not knowing if she wanted 'me' to kiss her or if it was the wine. Scully's washing the wine glasses in the kitchen sink now, not looking up for a second to see me staring at her wonder. She's acting like nothing's happened. She's trying to hide her feelings from me. Typical Scully. I get up from the couch and make my way to the kitchen. We can not just forget about this. I know she has this in mind that we can go on with our lives and forget the innocent that could have taken place had I not interrupted it. But not this time. This time, I have to know what she's thinking and what she's feeling. "Scully?" I ask shyly, like a boy who's walking up the cutest girl in class, "are you okay?" "I'm fine," she answers as she dries one of the glasses. Ah yes, she's always fine. "C'mon Scully," I sigh and lean against the counter. "Talk to me." "What is there to talk about?" Her tone of voice sharp. "You know what there is to talk about." Putting the last wine glass into the cupboard, Scully turns and folds her arms across her chest. "You want to know what happened tonight, don't you?" "I would like to," I reply honestly. "Well, nothing happened. That's it." Giving me a frustrated look, Scully brushes past me and towards her table. I let out a loud sigh. This was not going to be easy. "Oh sure, nothing happened tonight," I snap. "All I saw was you about to kiss Eddie Van Blundht." Oh, this gets her. She turns on her heel and glares at me. "Excuse me?" she asks, flustered. "I thought that Eddie Van Blundht was you! So don't even start, Mulder." She begins to organize her books on the table. "Would you have done it?" She turns her head at me, shocked. "What did you say?" Walking over, I take a seat on the couch. "I asked you if you would have done it." She doesn't say anything, she just turns her back towards me to finish gathering her books. Come on Scully, it's a simple question that requires a yes or no answer. Don't make this difficult. "Well?" Scully finishes putting her books back in order. "What do you want me to say, Mulder?" she says finally. "I just want to know if you would have kissed him." "Mulder, I thought he was you." "Exactly. Would you have kissed him as me?" Standing up, she bites her lower lip in thought as her gaze shifts from the floor to me. "I...I don't know." She shakes her head and then starts toward her bedroom. Scully's running away from answering it. Is she afraid to let me know her true answer? Are my suspicions correct? I stand up and catch her before she goes in. "Scully, please. Just give me an answer." She looks up at me, tears forming in her eyes. "Do you really want to know my answer?" I nod my head. "I do." "Yes. I would have. But it wasn't you so what does it matter?" She pulls from my grip I had on her hand to go into her bedroom. I stand there in the hallway in shock. She would have kissed me. If that was me, then she would have kissed me. I stop her before she disappears into her bedroom. Her eyes plea to let her go, but I'm not going to let her. "It does matter," I answer her. "It matters to me." "Mulder..." she shakes her head. "Let's just talk about this later-" "No, we're going to talk about it now. This is serious." I look into her eyes, searching. I need to know what's she thinking now. If we wait until tomorrow or the day after that to talk about this... "If that was me tonight, you would have kissed me?" She's silent for a moment and tilts her head towards me. "Mulder, I was...I had finished nearly a half of bottle of wine....I...there's no telling what I might have done in that state of mind." So, it was the wine after all. I nod my head and sigh. "So, you're saying that it was the wine?" "Ye...yes. That's what it was." "But, it that was me and you didn't drink any wine, would you have?" She raises her brows. "Mulder, why are asking me this?" "Because I need to know." I let out a sigh and rub my eyes. "Scully, I walk in and I see you ready to kiss me. That's something I have to question. It makes me wonder." "Well," she purses her lips and turns to head into her bedroom. "There's nothing for you to wonder about, Mulder." "Yes there is." She stops and turns to face me again. "And what is that exactly?" "It makes me wonder..." I trail off and look into her eyes. "It makes me wonder if that was me on that couch with you tonight and not Eddie Van Blundht with a bottle of wine, would you have let me kiss you." Scully looks down at the floor and I can tell she's debating her answer. Taking in a deep breath, she looks back up at me. "If...if I would had let you kiss me, Mulder...it would change everything. Our...our partnership, our friendship. We would be taking a huge risk." "But..." he move in closer now. The moment's coming. I can feel it. "Would it be a risk worth taking?" She looks down a little, fighting with her emotions. She knows the moment's upon us, it's whether or not if we should take it is the question. I know what I want, but I don't know if she wants it. "It would be a huge risk," she whispers, finally lifting her head up to look at me. The look in her eyes shows her answer to me. Taking in a deep breath, I finally close the gap between us. Her lips are as soft as I imagined they would be. The feeling that washes over me is indescribable. I can taste the wine she's had earlier and feel her tongue against mine. I feel dizzy with excitement and this feeling down deep inside...I never want it to end. Scully pulls away from me and opens her eyes. For a moment, I think she's about to smile, but she chooses to give me a questioning look. "Are you happy with your answer, now?" she asks me. "Very," I answer breathlessly. Oh, I am *very* happy with my answer. She turns to head into her bedroom. "You know, I'm glad that this time you're not Eddie Van Blundht." With this, she turns, smiles, and starts closing the door. "Good night." As the bedroom door closes, I stand there, grinning ear to ear. I'm glad that I'm not Eddie Van Blundht either. ~ End